The Dallas Wings have the first pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. This could mean that former UConn champions Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd could play together again. While that has surely brought excitement for the fans, it might alter certain dynamics with Arike Ogunbowale in the locker room.

Sophia Jones, an analyst for Locked On Women’s Basketball, stressed this very point.

“I don’t know how Arike would necessarily fit into that system because she is a more ball-dominant player as opposed to Paige or whoever can move off-ball a little bit more and get their shots,” Jones explained. “For Arike, I think it’s going to be a definite career question because I think for Dallas, I can’t imagine there being a different thought process than building around Paige because that’s going to be your future.”

And that is something that Jose Fernandez has already made clear: “Paige is a very good basketball player. She’s one of the faces of the league and the future of the WNBA and also USA basketball. She wants to be coached. She wants to win. So, that’s plain and simple.”

In fact, last season, it was the 24-year-old who carried most of the load as she averaged 19.2 points and 5.4 assists, won Rookie of the Year, made the All-Star team, and earned All-WNBA Second Team honors. One point to note here is that she managed to get all this despite limited support. So, it is understandable why Wings see her as the right player to anchor their rebuild.

But then there’s another thing. Arike Ogunbowale came back, and Bueckers finally had some support.

Now let’s turn back the clock to the July 29 matchup against the New York Liberty at College Park Center, where the Wings registered a 12-point win. And the credit for that? Well, it goes to Bueckers and her backcourt partner, something that was missing in the prior 26-point loss to the Las Vegas Aces.

The chemistry from the locker room translated onto the court as the duo combined for 40 points in the 92-80 win over the defending WNBA champions, with Ogunbowale recording a career-high 14 assists. To top that, the Notre Dame product even credited the increased communication between the two for her recent performances.

“We’re kind of two leads on this team,” Ogunbowale said. “And a lot of stuff goes through us, so we have to be on the same page, and we’ve been really intentional about it.”

However, Jones’ worries are based on real events. Ogunbowale has been the anchor of Dallas’s offense for seven seasons, always being one of the league’s top scorers.

Ogunbowale told DallasHoopsJournal.com, “I’ve been here since I was drafted, so it’s like my second home now.”

This shows how close she is to the team. But her style of play, which requires the ball in her hands to initiate the offense, is often perceived as a difficult fit when paired with other primary ball-handlers like Bueckers. As a result, debates about the 28-year-old’s efficiency and role are common. However, her scoring prowess and ability to carry the Dallas Wings cannot be denied, as despite playing only 29 games this season due to injury, she managed to average 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.

Moving on, it was clear that the organization was committed to this direction when head coach Jose Fernandez went to UConn for three days. He saw them practice, went to their game against Ohio State, and talked a lot with Geno Auriemma about the prospects. Dallas is very interested in figuring out how Fudd could work well with Paige Bueckers, as shown by this level of involvement.

The Wings have a tough choice to make: honor Ogunbowale’s contributions or take advantage of the championship potential of bringing back two players who won together at Connecticut.

Azzi Fudd’s championship success makes her a perfect fit for the Dallas Wings

People are excited about Paige Bueckers and Fudd getting back together again, and it’s not just because of nostalgia. It’s because of what Fudd did during UConn’s championship run. Dallas thinks she’s the missing piece because of how she played in the season.

UConn started the season without losing, just like they did in 2017–18 when they went 36–0. But this group won differently. Instead of an offensive showcase, Coach Geno Auriemma built a strong defense. No opponent scored 70 points or made 50 percent of their shots in 12 games.

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Fudd won the NCAA championship’s Most Outstanding Player award by completely changing her game. She stopped shooting a lot and started scoring strategically, picking her spots very carefully. Her ability to guard top wings while also being a threat as a perimeter shooter made life hard for other coaches.

The system didn’t depend on one person being better than the others. Fast forward to the Saturday game against USC, UConn had 26 assists on 35 field goals against Iowa, which shows how unselfish they were. Fudd did well with no need to touch the ball all the time, showing that she can win without running the offense.

That’s exactly what Dallas wants with Bueckers, but Ogunbowale’s style of play makes it hard for them to fit in.