The 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery is happening on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, meaning we don’t have long to wait to find out which team will earn the No. 1 pick.
The Dallas Wings are entering this lottery with the best odds of getting that top pick. They have a 42 percent chance, and that’s great news since they desperately need another top prospect to pair with 2025 No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers.
Advertisement
The question is, if they do get to pick first, who should they go with?
The case for UCLA’s Lauren Betts
Lauren Betts has been a dominant college big while playing for UCLA.
She’s averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds during her senior season and could provide Dallas with a 5 that can work well with Bueckers in pick-and-roll actions.
While a lot can happen with Dallas’ roster from now till the start of the season, they’ll likely want as many elite bigs as possible. Betts gives them a great option to go with, whether they earn the top pick or not. If they land at No. 2 or No. 3 and Betts is still available, she must be considered.
Advertisement
The case for UConn’s Azzi Fudd
Azzi Fudd is certainly someone Buckers is fond of.
The pair won a national championship together at UConn, and it’s hard to imagine that Bueckers would be upset if the Wings brought Fudd to Dallas in their effort to begin winning in the WNBA.
While the Wings do want to make Bueckers happy, they have to do what’s best for their franchise. Luckily, the on-court case for Fudd is strong. She’s averaging 17.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Her 46.2 percent shooting from 3-point range is a collegiate best for the five-year player.
If Fudd continues to play at this level, she’ll be near the top of all draft boards, even for teams where she doesn’t already have a connection with the franchise player.
Advertisement
The case for Valencia’s Awa Fam
Awa Fam is one of the most exciting prospects in this year’s draft. She has been playing professionally since she was 15 years old, and at age 20, there is still plenty of developmental potential.
During the 2024 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket, she averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds for Spain. The 6-foot-4 center might not be ready right away, in contrast to her prospect peers who have played in the NCAA, but she just might be the best player to come out of this draft.
A big that the Wings could rely on for years to come, she could be the smartest selection.
Other options
TCU’s Olivia Miles likely will go high in the draft. A very polished point guard who has had a ton of experience after playing for years at Notre Dame, she will be ready to contribute right away. Flau’Jae Johnson is another backcourt player the Wings need to consider. She’s averaging 16.0 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game this season for LSU.
The Wings won the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery, and they knocked it out of the park, making the easy decision to draft Buekcers. This season, there is no clear-cut No. 1, but the choice will be just as important.
Advertisement
The Wings want to start winning games and competing. They signified all the losses they had in 2025 were unacceptable by firing head coach Chris Koclanes after just one season in charge. Now, they have hired Jose Fernandez to take over as coach as they continue their rebuild. If they secure the top pick and make the right call, they can expedite this process, similar to what the Indiana Fever did after selecting Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark with back-to-back No. 1 picks in 2023 and 2024.
If not, then they will continue hanging out in the WNBA’s basement while the league continues to add more teams. For their own sake, let’s hope they get things right and Bueckers gets to play high-stakes games in the WNBA sooner rather than later.
