Geno Auriemma has revealed just how impressed the Dallas Wings are with former UConn stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, saying new head coach Jose Fernandez described the duo as “better than great” and “absolutely amazing.”
Fernandez, a longtime friend of Auriemma, visited UConn in Storrs shortly after taking the Dallas Wings job last year. During the trip, he sought advice on coaching Bueckers and also got an early look at Fudd, who was still starring for UConn.
Months later, the Wings reunited the former Huskies backcourt after selecting Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The move brought together one of UConn’s most recognizable guard pairings, whose college careers were frequently interrupted by injuries and limited them to just 49 games together.
Now healthy and playing alongside each other again, the pair are showing the potential many believed they had all along. Dallas has opened the 2026 WNBA season with a 7-3 record, the franchise’s best start since relocating to Texas in 2016.
Bueckers, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, has been a driving force offensively, averaging 18.3 points per game. Fudd has made her mark on both ends of the floor, leading the team in steals and blocks while ranking among Dallas’ most efficient scorers and top three-point shooters.
The Wings recently extended their winning streak to four games, highlighted by Bueckers matching a franchise record with 14 assists in a victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.
Auriemma jokingly referenced Fudd’s brief spell coming off the bench, saying it was almost a “fireable offense,” underscoring the confidence he has in her abilities.
Fans in Connecticut are expected to get one final local opportunity to watch the former UConn teammates together when the Dallas Wings visit the Connecticut Sun in Hartford on July 2. With the Sun set to relocate to Houston after the season, the game could mark the last time New England supporters see Bueckers and Fudd play professionally in the region. Auriemma hopes to attend that matchup and also plans to watch Dallas face the New York Liberty a few days later.
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