STWF Sports| ARLINGTON, Texas| September 27, 2026 — The Dallas Wings were well represented in the Associated Press’ 2026 WNBA awards, with Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Jessica Shepard each earning postseason recognition following standout regular seasons.
Bueckers was named to the All-AP WNBA Second Team for the second consecutive year, Fudd earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team, and Shepard was selected as the AP Most Improved Player of the Year.
The honors were determined by a 17-member voting panel that also participates in the AP’s weekly WNBA power poll. The 2026 awards mark the 11th year of the AP program.
For Dallas, the recognition comes after a regular season that featured historic production across several parts of the roster.
Bueckers Continues Elite Rise
Paige Bueckers: The Future of WNBA Stardom
Bueckers followed her strong rookie campaign with another highly productive season.
The second-year guard finished fifth in the WNBA in scoring at 20.9 points per game, eighth in assists at 5.9 per game and ninth in three-point percentage at .410. Her 22.1 efficiency rating ranked sixth in the league and was the highest among all guards.
Bueckers also continued rewriting league and franchise records.
She became the WNBA’s all-time leader in points through a player’s first two seasons with 1,570, while also becoming the first player in league history to average more than 20 points and five assists per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the field.
She finished with 26 games of at least 20 points, four 30-point performances and 18 games with at least 20 points and five assists.
At the team level, Bueckers set Wings single-season records with 878 points and 247 assists.
Fudd Makes Immediate Impact
Fudd’s first WNBA season also brought plenty of attention.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft averaged 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.73 steals and 0.83 blocks across 30 games.
Her 1.73 steals per game led all rookies, while her blocks ranked second and scoring ranked fifth among first-year players.
Fudd’s season also included one of the most memorable moments of All-Star Weekend.
In July, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to win the 3-Point Contest, taking the title at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. She scored 30 points in the final round, the second-highest championship-round total in event history, and made 20 of 26 shots.
She also became the first Wings player in franchise history to win the contest.
Shepard Earns Most Improved Player Honors
Shepard’s breakout season may have been the most dramatic transformation of the three.
Her scoring average climbed from 8.0 points per game in 2025 to 14.5 in 2026, while her rebounding increased from 7.3 to 11.1 and her assists from 2.6 to 5.3.
She also jumped from 10 double-doubles in 2025 to 25 in 2026, the second-most in the WNBA.
After recording one triple-double over her first five seasons, Shepard posted a WNBA-high six triple-doubles this year, moving into second place on the league’s all-time career list.
She became only the second player in WNBA history, joining Candace Parker, to average a points-rebounds double-double while also dishing at least five assists per game.
Shepard also broke Wings records for total rebounds, rebounds per game, double-doubles and triple-doubles.
Her AP Most Improved Player award makes her the second Dallas player to earn the honor, following Satou Sabally in 2023.
The AP recognition adds another layer to a season in which Dallas saw major individual growth across its roster, with Bueckers, Fudd and Shepard each carving out distinct milestones and strengthening the Wings’ long-term core.
