Dallas Wings rookie guard Azzi Fudd (dressed in street clothes) is introduced with teammate before the team faced the Atlanta Dream at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026. Fudd did not suit out for the game because of an injury.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON — The Dallas Wings introduced the entire squad as is the custom for a home season opener Tuesday night. When Azzi Fudd walked out in jeans and a T-shirt with the reserves, a woman in front of press row turned and said, “Did y’all know that Azzi wasn’t playing tonight?’’
The answer was yes. But we couldn’t tell her why, because the reasons for the first overall pick in the 2026 draft not suiting up — or a mention of when she got injured — was not something the Wings deemed necessary for the media or, by extension, their announced sellout crowd at College Park Center.
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Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) guards Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) puts up a jumper during the second half against the Atlanta Dream at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings forward Alysha Clark (32) fouls Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) under the basket during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) losses control of the ball as she’s guarded by Dallas Wings forward Alanna Smith (8) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) dishes the ball off to the corner aa she;’s guarded by Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) and forward Angel Reese (5) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) dishes the ball off to the corner aa she;’s guarded by Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) and forward Angel Reese (5) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) is guarded by Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) circles the court as play is amount to resume in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Dream in the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) is fouled by Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) is fouled by Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James (10) keeps the ball from Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) as she reaches for the loose ball during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026. Wings forward Alysha Clark (32) was setting up for the pick on the play.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) takes a shot over DUPLICATE***Atlanta Dream guard Paige Robinson (0)***Atlanta Dream guard Isobel Borlase (0) during the second half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) gestures to a Dallas Wings player after she scored during the first half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings forward Alanna Smith (8) passes the ball as she’s defended by Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) during the first half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James (10) reaches in to block Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese’s (5) First half shot at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026. Wings forward Awak Kuier (34) helped defend on the play.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd (second from right) watches from the bench in street clothes as her teammates faced the Atlanta Dream in the first half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist (20) blocks a shot by Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) during the first half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James (10) reaches through and knocks the ball from Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard’s (10) hands during the first half at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) blocks a shot by Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) during the first quarter at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) is introduced befor the home opener against the Atlanta Dream at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd slaps hands with her teammates after being introduced during the home opener against the Atlanta Dream at College Park Center in Arlington, May 12, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
The Atlanta Dream spoiled the Wings’ home opener with a 77-72 victory in which the best Dallas first-round pick on the floor wasn’t Fudd (inactive) or Paige Bueckers (a quiet 15 points, 3 assists) but Allisha Gray. She’s the shooting guard Dallas drafted with the 4th pick in 2017 a week after South Carolina had claimed its first national title under coach Dawn Staley. Gray had 26 points for the Dream, and Angel Reese (new to Atlanta after two seasons in Chicago) played her usual not-so-fluid-but-effective game to finish with 12 points and 16 rebounds for the visitors.
There are 42 games to play, and the Wings still sport the look of a team that will be far, far different from last year’s last-place 10-34 squad. So the disappointment for most of the crowd was probably a lot less about the outcome and much more about the missed opportunity to see Fudd, the latest UConn champion guard, play for Dallas.
New coach Jose Fernandez, who has already demonstrated a brusque manner to basic questions, said before Tuesday’s game, “Out of an abundance of caution and her long-term health, we’re keeping [Fudd] out tonight. We’re not going to discuss anything medically in regards to her — you know, what she’s done in practice, what she hasn’t done in practice. There’s a reason we drafted her No. 1, and she’s going to have a great season for the Wings.’’
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Not the greatest explanation as to what happened to Fudd, but it’s rather alarming when a coach starts talking about long-term goals. When I asked if fans should consider her day-to-day or whether this could be something where she’s out for a while, Fernandez said, “You heard what I said earlier, right? So do I have to read that again? We have it, right?’’
Pam Flenke, the Wings’ PR director, nodded, making it clear he didn’t need to answer Fudd questions with further clarity. Or any clarity at all.
So, for the fans who care but were left in the dark alongside the press, here’s what we know. Fudd played just 18 minutes in the opener at Indiana and scored three points — fewest by a No. 1 overall pick in her debut in 20 years. She was considered probable, however for Tuesday’s game.
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But suddenly she was on the shelf. After playing 21 minutes in Austin in Dallas’ second preseason game in which she had 12 points in a win over Las Vegas, Fudd had some swelling around her knee, a Wings source familiar with the situation told The News. She had major surgery on her right knee in high school and major surgery on her right knee at UConn. But there were no real indications she had suffered any kind of setback, and it’s entirely possible she’s out here playing Thursday night when the Wings host the Minnesota Lynx.
I wouldn’t count on that, though, nor would I bet on getting that information ahead of game time. In their decade here in Arlington, with one playoff series win under their belt, the Wings are not known for working hard to make themselves or information available. They play to their small crowds here on the UTA campus and — no fault of theirs — have no idea where they might be playing a year from now. Fernandez recently announced the club will play its games at the American Airlines Center in 2027, but there is no agreement to that, and, except when Indiana and Caitlin Clark come calling, an arena with 20,000 seats for basketball is hardly the proper setting for a Wings team seeking home-court advantage.
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On Tuesday night, the crowd stayed with the Wings’ efforts, even though most of the second half looked futile and the entire performance from long range was atrocious. After scoring the most points in the league in league openers (107), Dallas went 4-for-26 from 3-point range. That included 2–for-4 from Bueckers, who was shut down much of the night by another former No. 1 overall pick, Rhyne Howard (2022), and 2-for-22 from her Wings’ teammates.
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With Reese and the length of other Atlanta players, the Dream looks like it could be a defensive problem for a lot of teams. The Wings will shoot better soon enough, perhaps even Thursday against a talented Minnesota team. Whether or not Fudd will give it a go in that one — don’t ask me or Coach Fernandez.