Dallas sports fans finally got to see Azzi Fudd’s coveted right arm in action, as she threw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Texas Rangers’ matchup with the New York Yankees Tuesday evening.
Fudd arrived in Texas earlier this month to quite a bit of fanfare after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The star shooting guard’s first pitch headlined the MLB organization’s “Dallas Wings Night,” as Fudd, wearing a custom Rangers jersey with her last name and iconic No. 35 on the back, was joined on the diamond by her Wings teammates, including former Huskies star Paige Bueckers.
Taking a few steps inside the pitcher’s mound, Fudd delivered a strike to Rangers third-base coach Corey Ragsdale, drawing a round of applause from the crowd at Globe Life Field. The former Final Four MOP then joined her teammates for a group photo from the infield and made way for the MLB action — the Yankees and Rangers continued Fudd’s strong performance on the mound in a low-scoring pitcher’s duel Tuesday evening.
Fudd’s first experience on the mound came last summer for her hometown Washington Nationals, attempting her throw from the standard 60-foot distance, only to skip the ball off home plate. Battling some pre-pitch butterflies, Fudd told reporters Tuesday evening that she was much happier with Tuesday’s effort.
“This pitch was definitely better,” Fudd said. “I didn’t hit the ground. So, improvement.”
With the Rangers checked off her bucket list, Fudd also set her sights on a few more quintessential Dallas-area attractions, including a Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium and a trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Fudd will be taking her sharp-shooting talents on the road over the next week, as the Wings will play their WNBA preseason opener against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Thursday evening before heading down to Austin for another exhibition matchup with the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.
Dallas’ home opener is May 12, hosting Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream.