Get ready for WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY with an analysis of three guards: Azzi Fudd, Olivia Miles, and Flau’jae Johnson.

Guards. The ones who control the pace. The sharpshooters. The floor generals.

These three guards make up the future backcourt of the WNBA. 

Azzi Fudd (UConn): 14.1 PPG, 3.1 APG, 2.5 SPG

Azzi Fudd #35 of the Connecticut Huskies

There are shooters, and then there are makers. Azzi Fudd is a maker, one of the best in the country at that. Her sizzling 42% from beyond the arc only tells a fraction of the story. It’s the rapid-fire release, the idyllic follow-through, and the zippy footwork that Fudd has perfected during her five years at UConn. “I do feel like this is the most confident I’ve been on and off the floor,” she told SELF last month. 

The confidence was easy to spot; it was evident on both ends of the floor. At five-foot-eleven, Fudd has the length to crowd guards on defense, but also the ability to switch all five positions. Her 2.5 steals per game are a testament to her fearlessness in jumping passing lanes and picking the dribbler’s pocket. On offense, Fudd’s air-tight handle allows her to shake loose from defenders and to pull up from the midrange. Her 34-point eruption (13-18 from the field, eight made 3-pointers) in the Sweet 16 was a reel of all the tricks in her bag. And it was a riveting preview of what we can expect from her WNBA debut. 

Olivia Miles (TCU): 15.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.5 APG

Olivia Miles #5 of the TCU Horned Frogs

There was a mix of excitement and curiosity when Olivia Miles chose to spend her final season at TCU, and it was thrilling to watch it unfold. She led the hornfrogs to an Elite Eight berth, tallied 19.6 points per game — her best season yet, and dished out 6.5 assists per game, which ranked second in the country. She leaves college as the lone D1 player with at least 25 double-doubles and at least five triple-doubles (she has 12 total). Miles’ elite playmaking ability separates her from other point guards in the draft. She could throw a no-look pass to a post-player rolling to the rim, step-back and swish the 3, or slither her way to the rim to score with a one-handed layup. Pick your poison. 

There’s the same excitement and curiosity surrounding Miles entering the WNBA as a rookie. The anticipation of how she’ll slice through teams’ defensive schemes and the question mark of who her lucky pick-and-roll partner will be make everyone count down the days until the draft. She’s a creative scorer with razor-sharp vision that can elevate a WNBA roster immediately. 

Flau’jae Johnson (LSU): 14.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.3 APG

Flau’jae Johnson #4 of the LSU Tigers

As an LSU freshman, Flau’jae Johnson burst onto the college basketball scene, winning a National Championship in Year 1. She has a name that’s hard to forget, and a swagger that you’ll always remember. Johnson hooked fans on her electrifying presence; her energy and ability to score in bunches captivated audiences in arenas. And she did it for four years with the Tigers.  

This past season, she captained the No. 1 scoring offense (95.0 points per game), as LSU scored over 100 points 16 times. Her 14.6 points per game were a key factor there, but it’s how she finds so many ways to score. Johnson’s craftiness around the rim looks effortless; the hangtime, the pumpfakes, the Eurosteps— it’s the perfect blend of fundamentals and sheer athleticism. Her overall shot selection has much improved, her midrange in transition is lethal, and she can knock down the open 3. 

Already a pioneer in the NIL space and a budding rap career, she has real star power. Wherever she lands in the WNBA, her on- and off-court impact will be felt right away.