DHJ Quick Take: Arike Ogunbowale Backs Azzi Fudd’s Growth Amid Historic Rookie Showcase
- The Leader’s Endorsement: Eighth-year star Arike Ogunbowale strongly championed rookie guard Azzi Fudd after her career-high 24-point explosion, reminding observers that, despite outside draft pressure, it is only game seven of a long developmental arc.
- Demanding Constant Aggression: Ogunbowale highlighted that the roster’s primary mandate for the No. 1 overall pick is to hunt her shot relentlessly, praising Fudd’s confidence in pulling the trigger whenever the Liberty perimeter defense collapsed.
- Franchise Three-Point Fireworks: Fudd’s 6-of-12 masterpiece from deep shattered the Wings’ single-game franchise rookie record, combining with Ogunbowale’s season-high five triples to secure only the third game in Dallas history where two teammates hit five or more 3-pointers.
- Rookie Milestone Matrix: Fudd’s historic night featured a 17-point blitz in the third frame alone, tying for the second-most points scored by a rookie in a single quarter since the WNBA adopted the format in 2006.
BROOKLYN — Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale praised rookie Azzi Fudd‘s development after the No. 1 overall pick’s career-best 24-point performance in the Wings’ 91-76 road win over the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon.
“I think it just shows what she’s capable of. Obviously, the world’s putting pressure on her, but it’s day by day. She’s still a rookie. She’s still learning. It’s literally only game seven, and she’s coming into her own,” Ogunbowale said. “But we need her to be aggressive like this — shoot the ball whenever she’s open — and she did that today, so it was good to see.”
Azzi Fudd’s Career Night
Fudd scored 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 32 minutes off the bench, including 6-of-12 from three. She set the Wings franchise rookie record for 3-pointers in a single game and scored 17 of her 24 points in the third quarter — tied for the second-most by a rookie in any quarter since the WNBA transitioned to quarters in 2006 and the most by a rookie in a single quarter since Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard on May 15, 2022.
Fudd was a plus-22 in the win and started the second half after coming off the bench in the first.
The rookie attributed the third-quarter takeover to a deliberate change in tempo rather than any tactical adjustment from the coaching staff.
“My goal today was just to play a little bit slower. I felt like I was rushing a little bit every time I caught the ball. I wasn’t reading right away. I was just putting the ball down, going too fast,” Fudd said. “So my goal was just to slow down, and my teammates were setting great screens, giving me great passes. Reading what was there was the key tonight.”
A Veteran Voice On The Rookie Process
Ogunbowale has navigated her own version of the spotlight that comes with being a top draft pick, taken No. 5 overall by the Wings in the 2019 WNBA Draft and now in her eighth season with the franchise. Her framing of Fudd’s process reflects that experience, treating the rookie’s first seven games as the beginning of a longer arc rather than evidence to be debated game by game.
Fudd echoed the same theme postgame, pointing to her teammates’ steady belief through earlier shooting struggles as the foundation for Sunday’s breakout.
“Obviously, to keep shooting, but that’s what I’ve been hearing the last however many games I’ve been playing — every game. They’ve been sticking with me and showing confidence in me, even when I’d been missing all my threes,” Fudd said. “So to have them believe in me when I was missing and then to finally make some tonight felt really good.”
Fudd’s emergence has been steady through the season’s opening stretch. Her minutes have climbed from 18 in her WNBA debut at Indiana on May 9 to 32 against the Liberty on Sunday, and she is averaging 11.0 points on 56.3% shooting and 43.5% from three across her first six appearances.
Dallas Wings Host Las Vegas Aces Thursday
Bueckers matched Fudd with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Ogunbowale’s 5 made 3-pointers were a season high. The performance marked the third game in Wings history with two teammates each making 5 or more 3-pointers in the same game.
The Wings (4-3) host the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, May 28, at College Park Center. Tip-off is 7 p.m. CT on Prime.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Paige Bueckers On Azzi Fudd’s Breakout Game vs. New York Liberty: ‘We Knew It Was Only A Matter Of Time’
- ‘Took It Personal’: Jose Fernandez Credits Halftime Defensive Adjustment In Dallas Wings’ 91-76 Win Over New York Liberty
- ‘Play A Little Bit Slower’: Azzi Fudd Adjusts Approach To Shatter Dallas Wings’ Rookie Record vs. New York Liberty
- Paige Bueckers Names ‘Controllables’ That Define Dallas Wings Identity After Win Over New York Liberty
- Azzi Fudd On Dallas Wings’ Selfless Culture, Earning Her Time: ‘It Doesn’t Matter If I’m Starting’
- ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’: Azzi Fudd’s Rookie Record, Dallas Wings’ Suffocating Second Half Power 91-76 Win Over New York Liberty
- ‘Felt Like She Had 25’: Awak Kuier Shows Dynamic Potential For Dallas Wings Amid Career-High vs. Atlanta Dream
