DHJ Quick Take: Jose Fernandez Signals Azzi Fudd Trending Toward Wings’ Starting Lineup
- Lineup Shift Momentum: Following a historic 24-point performance in Brooklyn, head coach Jose Fernandez confirmed that No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd is on track to join the starting lineup, noting the team is actively heading in that direction.
- Record-Breaking Showcase: Fudd logged a season-high 32 minutes off the bench and earned the start in the second half. She shot 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-12 from deep, shattering the Wings’ franchise rookie record for single-game 3-pointers.
- Dazzling Net-Rating Splits: Fudd’s efficiency metrics underline her starting case. The Wings’ offensive rating skyrockets from 96.0 when she sits to an elite 122.1 when she is on the floor, resulting in an overwhelming plus-17.2 net rating per 100 possessions.
- Two-Way Technical Execution: Beyond her 17-point third-quarter explosion, Fudd anchored the second-half perimeter defense against Sabrina Ionescu. Fernandez praised Fudd’s active hands and unteachable instincts on backside switches, which held the Liberty star completely scoreless over the game’s final 25 minutes.
BROOKLYN — Dallas Wings head coach Jose Fernandez said rookie Azzi Fudd is on track to move into the starting lineup after the No. 1 overall pick scored 24 points in the Wings’ 91-76 road win over the New York Liberty on Sunday afternoon.
Fudd played a season-high 32 minutes off the bench and started the second half. She shot 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-12 from three at Barclays Center, setting the Wings franchise rookie record for 3-pointers in a single game.
“How many minutes did she play tonight? Thirty-two? Her minutes have increased game by game,” Fernandez said. “I think it’s been a conversation. I think we’re headed that direction. I think it showed with her being on the floor and what she did. She started in the second half.”
Fudd has come off the bench in each of Dallas’ first seven games. Odyssey Sims has started at point guard, with Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale rounding out the starting backcourt and wing rotation.
“I think now everyone knows why we took her number one,” Fernandez said of Fudd
Azzi Fudd’s Minutes Climbing
Fudd’s minutes have climbed steadily through the season’s first seven games: 18 in her WNBA debut at Indiana on May 9, then 20, 24, 28, 21, and 32. The 21-minute outing came in Atlanta on May 22 in a 3-of-9 shooting effort.
She is averaging 11.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 23.8 minutes per game across six appearances. She is shooting 56.3% from the floor, 43.5% from three, and 100% from the free-throw line. Her plus-54 cumulative plus-minus ranks second on the team.
The Wings have outscored opponents by 17.2 points per 100 possessions with Fudd on the floor and been outscored by 9.8 per 100 when she sits. Dallas’ offensive rating climbs from 96.0 with Fudd off the court to 122.1 with her on.
Fudd addressed her role on the team during pregame availability ahead of the Liberty game, saying her approach is built on earning minutes rather than seeking a specific spot in the rotation.
“I’m in a super incredible and rare situation whereas I’m on a team with some incredible vets. So to me, it doesn’t matter if I’m starting, if I’m coming off the bench, if I’m playing the whole game, if I’m playing just 10 minutes,” Fudd said pregame. “I’m going to earn my time from what I do in practice.”
Defensive Work Against Sabrina Ionescu
Fudd’s 17 points in the third quarter Sunday tied for the second-most by a rookie in any quarter since the WNBA transitioned to quarters in 2006. She added 3 steals and 2 blocks and was a plus-22 in the win.
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu did not score after the 5:11 mark of the second quarter and finished 4-of-15 from the floor. Fernandez credited Fudd’s on-ball defensive work in the second half.
“Her hands are active. She does a good job pressing up. Sometimes she presses up too much above the 28-foot line where she can get in trouble, and the ball goes by her, but her hands are so active in terms of deflections,” Fernandez said. “You can tell she has such great instincts that you just can’t teach in regards to switching and X-ing out on the backside.”
Dallas Wings Host Las Vegas Aces Thursday
Bueckers matched Fudd with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Ogunbowale added 19 points and 5 assists and hit 5 made 3-pointers, a season high. The performance marked the third game in Wings history with two teammates each making 5 or more 3-pointers.
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
- ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’: Azzi Fudd’s Rookie Record, Dallas Wings’ Suffocating Second Half Power 91-76 Win Over New York Liberty
- Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty Postgame Interviews: Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Arike Ogunbowale And Jose Fernandez (May 24, 2026)
- ‘Felt Like She Had 25’: Awak Kuier Shows Dynamic Potential For Dallas Wings Amid Career-High vs. Atlanta Dream
- ‘Ready For Every Second’: How Li Yueru’s Positive Mindset Bolsters Dallas Wings’ Center Depth
- ‘Short-Term Memory’: Dallas Wings Fall 86-69 To Atlanta Dream As Rhyne Howard Drops 25 In Fourth-Quarter Pull-Away
- ‘You Have To Own The Glass’: How Dallas Wings Plan To Rewrite The Script In Atlanta Dream Rematch
- ‘Taking What The Defense Gave Me’: How Jessica Shepard’s Triple-Double Unlocked The Dallas Wings In Chicago
- Arike Ogunbowale Reaches Historic WNBA Milestone In Dallas Wings’ Win Over Chicago Sky
- ‘Li Changed The Game Defensively’: How Li Yueru Powered A Dallas Wings Turning Point In Chicago
- ‘Controlling The Controllables’: Jessica Shepard Reflects On Dominant Double-Double For Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics
