Winning a second consecutive number-one draft pick provides the Wings with the opportunity to put another franchise-altering player next to Paige Bueckers, attract free agents who want to play with young stars, and build the foundation for a championship contender. Winning this lottery is much different than when the Wings got the news last year. As soon as they won the top pick in 2025, it was obvious that the Wings would draft Paige Bueckers. The 2026 draft class doesn’t feature a clear top pick yet, and the Wings could go in several different directions with their selection.
The upcoming expansion draft for the Tempo and Fire and a wild free agency class will heavily impact the Wings’ decision. GM Curt Miller is already certain that whoever he drafts will have to contribute to a trend the Wings established this past season.
“What’s the biggest need, who’s the best player, and then it all starts with, who is going to be a great teammate?” Miller said during his media availability after winning the lottery. “That culture is so important for us. We want to win in the locker room before we win on the court. Despite our win-loss record last year, our locker room was really together. It was a credit to our outgoing coaching staff. It was a credit to our players. They really bonded. They played. They had incredible relationships off the floor, which I think is key in the starting of something special, and we want to add to that chemistry. We want to add to that culture.”
The Wings have options
One word Curt Miller frequently used during his media availability was “optionality.” The Wings have a plethora of options, starting with keeping the pick or trading it. Miller mentioned that there was a lot of interest in the pick, but it makes much more sense for the Wings to keep it and select a young talent to develop alongside Paige Bueckers.
Once that decision is made, the Wings still have plenty of options, though. They could draft a young big—most franchises with back-to-back top picks selected a guard and a big and found great success—like Awa Fam or Lauren Betts. Fam is versatile and has an incredibly high ceiling but is still very young. Betts, meanwhile, is a more traditional big who could thrive next to Bueckers and her skills on the perimeter and as a playmaker.
The Wings could also go with another guard and select Azzi Fudd. She would bring exceptional 3-point shooting and great chemistry with Bueckers to the table. The two won a national championship together at UConn and have been dating for some time. If Miller truly wants to prioritize chemistry and good locker room relationships, Fudd could quickly become an even more intriguing prospect than her on-court talent already makes her.
Building a great culture is key to the Wings’ future success
Since moving to Dallas in 2016, the Wings have never made it past the semifinals and have only lasted past the first round once. Getting two consecutive number-one picks could quickly change the team’s trajectory and lay the foundation for a championship contender.
Just drafting top talent often isn’t enough, though. The right coach and culture can make all the difference. Dallas is definitely headed in the right direction. Jose Fernandez proved himself as a long-time college coach at USF and should be able to quickly implement a winning culture in Dallas. That on top of the great young talent the team has and the new practice facilities coming for the 2027 season, should make the Wings a more enticing free-agency destination.
They will need to attract impactful free agents to build a contender around Bueckers and whoever they draft in 2026. Having great chemistry on and off the court will only help with that.