Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers. Image credit : Melanie Fidler/ NBAE via Getty
Azzi Fudd was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings. The number attached to that moment tells its own story. She is set to earn a whopping figure that reflects a rapidly changing financial landscape in the WNBA.The reaction from Fudd captured her excitement about joining the Dallas Wings. “I’m not really sure I have words to describe that feeling, what that meant,” she said. “I don’t think it’s fully sunk in. It’s nothing I could have imagined. The feeling of sitting with my family, with Morgan (Valley), hearing your name called, go up there. Such a surreal feeling.” Fudd is set to play alongside her girlfriend, Paige Bueckers.
Here’s the salary comparison of the WNBA couple’s rookie season.
What is Azzi Fudd’s WNBA salary?
Azzi Fudd. Image via: Getty Images
Azzi Fudd is set to earn $500,000 in her rookie season. Her astonishing rookie deal stands as a clear sign of change. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, rookie salaries have surged, with top picks now earning significantly more than in previous years. The No. 2 and No. 3 selections will make $466,913 and $436,016, while even second and third round picks will take home $270,000.
Not long ago, those numbers would have been unthinkable.Fudd understands what this moment represents, not just for herself but for the generation arriving with her. “I feel like I can’t pinpoint one thing,” she said about turning pro. “There’s endless opportunity in front of me, whatever happens next, wherever I end up. I’m just excited to be in a new city, to learn from the players around me, to get to play with these incredible players, to learn from the coach.
I’m excited for everything.
”Her move to Dallas also reunites her with Paige Bueckers, adding another layer to the story. “Paige is an incredible player, everyone knows that,” Fudd said. “She’s someone that makes playing basketball with easy.”
What was Paige Bueckers’ rookie salary?
Paige Bueckers. Image Credit: AP
The comparison becomes striking when looking at Bueckers’ entry into the league just a year earlier. As the No. 1 pick in 2025, Bueckers earned a base salary of $78,831 in her rookie season.
The gap between the two contracts is not subtle. It highlights how quickly the league’s economics have shifted.That jump is tied directly to the new media deals and the updated CBA, which increased the salary cap and created room for higher rookie earnings. In simple terms, Fudd is benefiting from a system that players like Bueckers helped push forward.
What is Paige Bueckers’ current salary?
Bueckers is now positioned for a major financial leap. Projections suggest she could earn around $1.2 million starting in the 2026 season, with the potential to reach $1.7 million by 2028 under new contract structures. Those figures reflect a league investing in its stars earlier and more aggressively.
