Azzi Fudd had her best game yet in the WNBA on Monday in the Dallas Wings’ 92-69 home win over the Washington Mystics. Fudd didn’t start, but played crucial minutes alongside former college teammate and now co-star on the Wings, Paige Bueckers. The No. 1 pick scored an efficient 12 points in 24 minutes, shooting 6 of 9.
Fudd had two rebounds and three assists, too. She had the second-highest plus-minus (+20) in the 23-point win, trailing Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale’s +21. Fudd looked comfortable after struggling in the first few games. Her chemistry with Bueckers and Maddy Siegerist stood out.
That trio playing together was one of the key reasons the Wings largely controlled the game. Coach Jose Fernandez trusted them more after the team’s woes in the clutch in its first three outings. He didn’t hesitate to bench veteran Alanna Smith, who played only seven minutes and didn’t see the floor after the first quarter.
After seeing Azzi Fudd flourish in minutes next to the starters, Wings fans hopped on their keyboards to express the team’s need to have the No. 1 pick start moving forward.
“i better see azzi in that starting line up jose,” one fan wrote.
“jose has ABSOLUTELY ZERO defense for this paige, azzi, arike, maddy, jess/awak lineup not being the starting lineup after this game…” another said.
“need azzi in the starting lineup and maddy and awak to continue eating into those lan mins,” one fan added.
“Paige Arike azzi maddy and Jess should be the starting lineup next game with awak and odyssey coming off the bench tbh,” another commented.
What Wings coach Jose Fernandez has said about Azzi Fudd starting and her role
Azzi Fudd was a staple in the starting lineup for the Dallas Wings in the preseason. However, after she initially struggled to adapt to the pros, coach Jose Fernandez had her come off the bench in the first four games of the season. That decision surprised many as the Wings looked invested in her prospects as the No. 1 pick.
Fernandez addressed the starting lineup conversations on May 9 for the first time. He suggested that the Wings were stacked in the backcourt, resulting in Fudd playing off the bench.
“Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got 5 really talented backcourt players.”
After a more solid performance in Thursday’s loss to the Wings, Fernandez lauded Fudd’s effort in a 20-minute burn and hinted that her limited role is part of the bigger picture.
“I thought she had a good game. She played, what, 19, 20 minutes? For someone that hasn’t that hasn’t practiced the last couple days, it was good & we’re easing her into her being a bigger part in getting more minutes,” Fernandez said on Thursday.
“I thought she was good. You know, that’s why we challenged that call. I thought I thought it was clean up top…but apparently, they disagreed and said there was lower body contact.”
