Azzi Fudd\u2019s pro career didn\u2019t get off to an ideal start. Fudd, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings, attempted just 2 shots in 18 minutes off the bench in her WNBA debut and missed the subsequent game \u2014 the Wings\u2019 home opener \u2014 with a knee injury.<\/p>\n
The discourse about whether Fudd should have been the No. 1 overall pick became loud almost immediately. The discourse around whether head coach Jose Fernandez should be utilizing her more \u2014 and starting her rather than having her come off the bench \u2014 was even louder.<\/p>\n
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But, in the past week, Fudd\u2019s impact on the Wings has been evident, and her fit has increasingly made sense. The 23-year-old, known for her elite three-point shooting, has also showcased that she\u2019s much more than that.<\/p>\n
She tallied 8 points on 4-7 shooting in 20 minutes off the bench last Thursday, and followed that up with back-to-back 12-point games on 66.7% shooting, attempting only 5 three-pointers in that span.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I\u2019m a good three-point shooter,\u201d Fudd said after a 12-point outing in a win over the Washington Mystics<\/a>. \u201cPeople like to limit me to that, but I am more than just that, so it\u2019s been nice to just read what\u2019s in our offense, how the defense is playing, and I have incredible teammates that get me open.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n For the season, she\u2019s averaging 8.8 points, shooting 62.5% from the field and 42.9% from three. Already, she\u2019s the team\u2019s fourth-leading scorer, and she\u2019s played the fourth-most minutes per game, trailing only Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale<\/a>, and Jessica Shepard<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s just a pleasure to be around, great teammate, constantly wants to learn,\u201d Fernandez said in a pregame press conference earlier this week.<\/p>\n Olivia Miles, who was selected second overall, has been awesome for the Minnesota Lynx<\/a>, averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 assists per game. She might end up being Rookie of the Year, playing for an organization that lost five key rotation players and desperately needed a point guard.<\/p>\n