NEW YORK -- Azzi Fudd is on her way to Dallas as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft with a $500,000 payday waiting for the former UConn star.
Fudd will pair again with former Huskies teammate Paige Bueckers, who was the Wings' top pick last year. Bueckers -- who along with Fudd gave UConn a record seven No. 1 selections -- was in attendance at the draft along with Fudd's Huskies teammates.
"I'm excited to play again with Paige, she's an incredible player," Fudd said.
UCLA stars Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez went in the top five, a little over a week after leading the Bruins to their first NCAA championship.
The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last month gave huge pay raises to rookies. Fudd will make nearly seven-times what Bueckers earned last season as the top choice. The No. 2 and No. 3 picks will get $466,913 and $436,016, respectively.
Second- and third-round picks will make $270,000 -- which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.
Minnesota took Olivia Miles of TCU with the No. 2 pick. Miles decided to stay in college last season instead of enter the WNBA draft. She transferred from Notre Dame to the Horned Frogs. She helped the team reach the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.
After Seattle took Spain center Awa Fam Thiam at No. 3, Washington selected the 6-foot-7 Betts before the Chicago Sky followed with Jaquez.
Expansion teams Toronto and Portland had the next two selections. The Tempo chose to have the higher pick in the college draft after winning a coin toss, giving the Fire the top choice in the expansion draft earlier this month.
Golden State is next, with Washington owning the ninth and 11th picks. Indiana chooses between them. Connecticut, Atlanta, Seattle and the Sun close out the first round.
