DHJ Quick Take: The Professional Standard
- The Chelsea Gray Effect: Jose Fernandez emphasized Chelsea Gray’s leadership that Paige Bueckers learned from during their time together with USA Basketball for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in San Juan.
- The Global Game: Li Yueru noting that Fernandez’s “European influence” makes her more comfortable is a win for Dallas‘ frontcourt fluidity. Her focus on extending her range and building two-man game chemistry with Azzi Fudd suggests the Wings will utilize more high-post facilitation than in previous seasons.
- Unrivaled Dividends: For both Aziaha James and Yueru, the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league clearly served developmental value. James learned nuances from Kelsey Plum and Kelsey Mitchell gives the Wings a more disciplined point-of-attack defender to pair with the offensive gravity of Paige Bueckers.
- The Fudd Scouting Report: Grace Berger’s observation that Azzi Fudd is more than just a shooter—highlighting her full-court defense and rim pressure—confirms why Fernandez viewed her as the “clear fit.” If Fudd can provide “3-and-D” utility as a rookie, the Wings‘ backcourt becomes exponentially harder to scout.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings wrapped their third consecutive day of training camp, with head coach Jose Fernandez saying the group progressively improved across the opening stretch ahead of its first scheduled off day.
Fernandez, in his first training camp with the franchise, said the energy carried through a session that shifted more heavily toward the defensive end after the first two days skewed offensive.
Establishing a championship-level standard in everything from warmups to film study has been the central theme of camp to this point, a message echoed by returning second-year guard Aziaha James, veteran Grace Berger, and center Li Yueru.
On Wednesday, the Wings are off for their first scheduled rest day before returning to the practice floor. Fernandez said Day 5 will be the first real read on how the group carries its early standards into the rest of camp.
Li Yueru
Yueru, who joined the Wings midway through the 2025 season, said her first full training camp in Dallas has brought fresh energy and a more comfortable adjustment than her midseason arrival a year ago. The center credited Unrivaled with accelerating her development in off-the-dribble offense and pick-and-roll defense, two areas she expects will translate to expanded responsibilities in 2026.
Yueru said Fernandez’s European-influenced coaching style has made the transition comfortable, and that the staff has encouraged her to continue extending her range after she connected on some three-pointers last season.
In the opening practices, she has focused on finding the best ways to set screens for Azzi Fudd and create space, as well as building pick-and-roll chemistry with the rookie guard on the defensive end.
Aziaha James
James, entering her second WNBA season, said Unrivaled sharpened her defensive focus and gave her access to veteran point guards, including Kelsey Plum and Kelsey Mitchell, whom she could learn from over the winter. She said the backcourt chemistry through three days is already strong, with competitive practices pushing the group in both directions.
James added that at least 10 players were in Dallas working out with the coaching staff roughly two weeks before camp officially opened, a sign she pointed to as an early indicator of the group’s collective mindset.
She described Fudd as a natural-born shooter whose humility, poise, and competitive edge have stood out on and off the floor, and said Paige Bueckers already carries herself like a veteran despite her age.
Jose Fernandez
Fernandez said the Wings have progressively gotten better across the first three days, with Day 3 serving as a test of how the group would respond to the grind before its first off day. He said effort, communication, and accountability are the standards he is unwilling to compromise on, and that this group has held itself to those markers to this point.
“You have to think that way. The way you work, how you prepare, how you lift, how you work with player development, how you watch film, it all matters,” Fernandez said. “I didn’t leave the situation I had in college just to take a WNBA job. I came to Dallas to do something special with a great group and represent this organization in a first-class way. I came here to win.”
The presence of veteran guard Chelsea Gray has set the tone for leadership. Fernandez noted Gray was the first player in the building for treatment on Day 3 and remained locked in through breakfast and scouting preparation, modeling the professional habits the staff has emphasized to younger players.
On roster construction, Fernandez said Fudd was the best available player for the franchise and the clear fit for a system that prioritized adding three-point shooting and a floor spacer this offseason.
Grace Berger
Berger said Day 3 tilted heavily toward the defensive end after the first two days skewed offensive, with the staff putting in additional pieces of the playbook. She said the group set the tone early with their voices despite tired legs, and that defensive effort will be a recurring focus through the rest of camp.
As a returning guard, Berger said she has leaned into helping new additions navigate WNBA terminology, crediting fellow veterans, including Odyssey Sims, Alysha Clark, and Bueckers, for guiding newcomers through the system.
Berger said Fudd’s humility and work ethic have stood out immediately, describing the No. 1 overall pick as one of the first players in the gym and a more complete prospect than her shooting reputation suggests, with the ability to drive, defend, and pick up full court.
Berger also highlighted Alanna Smith‘s two-way impact and pointed to Bueckers as the player holding the group to championship standards.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- ‘She’s A Pro’: Paige Bueckers Is Built Different In Year 2, And Jose Fernandez Says It Will Show In Clutch Time
- ‘A Bright Future’: Alanna Smith Details Picking Dallas Wings In Free Agency, Expanding Her Game
- ‘A Dream Come True’: Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd Realize Decade-Long Journey To Dallas Wings Backcourt
- Dallas Wings Training Camp Day 2 Interviews: Jose Fernandez, Alysha Clark, Maddy Siegrist And Odyssey Sims
- Dallas Wings Training Camp Day 1 Recap: Jose Fernandez Sets Tone With ‘No-BS’ Culture
- ‘She Better Shoot The Damn Ball’: Jose Fernandez Challenges Azzi Fudd On Day 1 Of Training Camp
- ‘Landed Where I Was Meant to Be’: Azzi Fudd Introduced By Dallas Wings, Embraces New Journey
- Exclusive: Curt Miller On The ‘New-Look’ Dallas Wings, Frontcourt Chemistry, And Azzi Fudd’s Elite Ceiling
