Azzi Fudd WNBA mock draft prediction turns her into Paige Bueckers' opponent

Azzi Fudd's favorite point guard plays in the WNBA for the Dallas Wings.

But the still-in-school UConn star may not get the chance to team up with Paige Bueckers at the next level.

Bleacher Report's Rachel Galligan put out a new 2026 WNBA Draft mock projection, and in it, she has Bueckers' Dallas Wings going in a different direction.

She projects the Wings to go with 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts out of UCLA.

"Lauren Betts is a top contender as the potential top overall pick due to her elite 6'7" size paired with power, rim protection and rare mobility," Galligan writes. "Betts is one of the most efficient scorers in the country, shooting 65 percent from the floor last season for UCLA while averaging 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game."

Galligan's projection has Fudd going off the board with the No. 4 overall pick to the Washington Mystics.

The Mystics would be an exciting landing spot from a team-building perspective, given that rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen both looked like real building blocks this season, and they'll have Georgia Amoore coming back from injury. The Mystics also have three first-round picks in 2026.

"There is a real possibility Azzi Fudd climbs draft boards in the coming months," Galligan writes. "She averaged 17.5 points per game while shooting nearly 44 percent from beyond the arc during last year's NCAA tournament. Her ability to stretch the floor and score in bunches gives the Mystics the kind of perimeter weapon and additional backcourt talent to keep their rebuild trending in the right direction. Fudd provides star potential and marketability, with risk tied to her inconsistent health. If she can stay healthy, whoever drafts her will get a future All-Star."

Fudd has serious talent, and there will be mock drafts in the coming months that predict the Wings to take her first overall to be Bueckers' teammate.

Whether that can actually come to fruition will likely depend a lot on what happens in the 2025-26 college basketball season, which will have a heavy influence on the final draft outcomes.

MORE: Wings predicted to draft 6-foot-7 center to help Paige Bueckers