Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd became the first rookie to win the WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest. Fudd defeated the Portland Fire’s Bridget Carleton and four other competitors on Friday in Chicago to capture her first 3-Point Contest title.
Fudd scored 30 points in the final round, knocking down 20 of her 26 shots. She caught fire with a string of consecutive makes, missing just two of her final 10 attempts and bringing fans and celebrities at Wintrust Arena to their feet.
Fudd was widely praised for her lights-out shooting. Her girlfriend and Wings teammate, Paige Bueckers, celebrated the victory with a four-word message on her Instagram Story.
“Winner winner chicken dinner 🤑 🤑,” Bueckers wrote.
Fudd’s 30-point performance matched the second-highest total in WNBA 3-Point Contest history, tying Allie Quigley and Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu set the record in 2023 with 37 points.
With Bueckers on her feet cheering from a front-row seat, Fudd missed only six of her 26 shots, including just one from the top of the key.
Carleton, who posted the top opening-round score with 29 points, managed just 19 in the final. Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard finished with 20 points, Golden State’s Janelle Salaun scored 19, Toronto’s Marina Mabrey had 18 and Minnesota’s Natisha Hiedeman finished with 17.
Azzi Fudd Challenges Steph Curry After Winning WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest
Azzi Fudd wasn’t done making headlines. After winning the 3-Point Contest, Fudd challenged Steph Curry to a 3-point shootout.
“Steph, if you’re listening, I’ve been asking for a rematch since high school,” Fudd said. “Maybe it’s our time to figure out a time and a place.”
The challenge stems from a memorable meeting in 2018, when Fudd attended Curry’s basketball camp in high school. After defeating every camper, Fudd had the chance to face Curry in a shootout. Curry ultimately won by four points.
Fudd is one of the few players who shares a close bond with Curry, having been mentored by him early in her career. Curry’s impact on Fudd has helped her both on and off the court. Fudd was also signed to Curry Brand before moving to Jordan, while Curry eventually switched to Li-Ning. As one of the greatest shooters of all time, having Curry as a mentor boosted Fudd’s development and helped her build confidence early on.
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