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Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd brings the ball up the court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
When\u00a0Azzi Fudd was ruled out for the season with a right knee injury<\/a> last month, some saw it as their \u201cgotcha\u201d moment.<\/p>\n A segment of women\u2019s basketball fans and commentators have questioned Fudd\u2019s legitimacy since April, when the Dallas Wings drafted her No. 1 overall<\/a>.<\/p>\n First, the public speculated if Fudd\u2019s relationship with Wings<\/a> teammate Paige Bueckers influenced Dallas\u2019 decision. Then, No. 2 pick Olivia Miles started to show out for the Minnesota Lynx.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n And unfortunately for Fudd, her right knee has continued to give her trouble, igniting discourse over whether the Wings took her injury history into consideration.<\/p>\n Fudd tore her right ACL and MCL in 2019 and her right ACL and medial meniscus in 2023. The guard recently underwent a season-ending arthroscopic procedure to address ongoing right knee soreness.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously not how I wanted my season to end,\u201d Fudd said Tuesday after practice in Arlington during her final media availability of the season. \u201cI was definitely a little frustrated at first, but I feel like I handled this one really well.\u201d<\/p>\n In 30 games this season, Fudd averaged 13.1 points and 1.7 steals while shooting 39.7% from three. Fudd\u2019s 62 made 3-pointers are the most in team history for a first-year player. The 23-year-old became the first rookie in WNBA history to win the 3-point contest at WNBA All-Star weekend<\/a> in July. She ranks in the top 5 in the league in steals.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like there\u2019s things I could have done better,\u201d Fudd said. \u201cBut I think I\u2019m proud of how I handled it, how I adjusted. I\u2019m proud of my defense. I\u2019m proud of this team, and I\u2019m really grateful to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fudd helped the Wings (24-16) to their first playoff berth since 2023<\/a>, but it\u2019s\u00a0TCU product Miles who\u2019s become the front-runner for Rookie of the Year and an MVP candidate with averages of 19.7 points, 6.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.<\/p>\n But the questions about whether the Wings made the right choice on draft day are coming from outside the house.<\/p>\n \u201cShe got picked No. 1 because I felt and our organization felt that she was going to be the best fit for not only our team, but our franchise,\u201d Wings coach Jose Fernandez said Tuesday after practice.<\/p>\n After last season\u2019s 10-34 finish, the Wings needed to improve their 3-point shooting and defense. Fudd, who won a national championship alongside Bueckers in 2025, helped address both issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Wings ranked second to last in 3-point shooting and defensive rating in 2025 and improved to eighth and fifth in the league, respectively, this season.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Dallas re-signed veteran Arike Ogunbowale, a ball dominant guard, in free agency and of course returned Bueckers<\/a>, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick who has also struggled with knee issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n Miles, a ball dominant guard herself, might not have fit into that picture. The first-place Lynx (31-9), a veteran team led by four-time championship coach Cheryl Reeve, have been able to maximize Miles\u2019 strengths.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t to say Dallas hasn\u2019t been mindful of Fudd\u2019s injury history or the fact she was coming off a long season at UConn, which made a run to the Final Four.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n