Dallas Wings star Azzi Fudd didn't start in her WNBA debut. She also had a historically poor scoring performance. What does this say about her current role?
The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever by a score of 107-104 on May 9, which was the highest-scoring opening-day game in WNBA history. Given this offensive display, one might assume that Azzi Fudd, whom the Wings selected with the first pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft,For one, Fudd wasn't in Dallas' starting lineup.
ESPN broadcasters Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter both expressed frustration about this during the game's halftime show, with Ogwumike staring at the camera and saying, "Azzi Fudd should be starting.
" She then mentioned how the last No. 1 pick in a draft not to start their first regular season game was Kelsey Plum back in 2017, as if this was proof Fudd should have been in Dallas' starting five. While this sentiment from Carter and Ogwumike might be true on paper, Fudd's performance suggests otherwise.
She finished with 3 points on just 1 of 2 shooting from the field in 18 minutes, and also added 1 rebound and 1 steal.according to StatMuse . And this comes off a preseason where Fudd averaged 8 points per game over two contests, which left a lot to be desired.
Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd drives against Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesWings head coach Jose Fernandez was asked what he's looking for with Fudd when she comes off the bench, and he said, “Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got 5 really talented backcourt players," per While this sentiment might sound like mere coach-speak at first, Fernandez is actually speaking the truth on several fronts.
One of them is that the Wings' roster construction doesn't make an immediate starting spot for Fudd clear. They have Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale in the backcourt, neither of whom should be coming off the bench. Many would have thought Fudd should have started over Odyssey Sims. But that was before Sims scored 20 points in 26 minutes on Saturday.
Dallas probably would have lost if not for her contribution. Dallas Wings guard Odyssey Sims smiles after a foul call | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Perhaps there's a case to be made that Fudd starting will help her get into a groove. But Dallas' season isn't about getting Fudd into a groove.
It's about winning a WNBA championship, and Jose Fernandez clearly believes that starting her isn't the best way to achieve that right now. As Andraya Carter said at halftime, Fudd will probably be in the starting five at some point. But Fudd doesn't have a right to start just because she's talented, nor because she's the first pick, especially on a team as talented as Dallas.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco , where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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