Dallas Wings Training Camp Day 6 Recap: Paige Bueckers Sets Tone, Azzi Fudd Adjusts, Li Yueru’s Balance, Roster Competition

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings wrapped their fifth practice of training camp Friday at College Park Center, with head coach Jose Fernandez continuing to install offensive and defensive packages while several key contributors remain overseas finishing out international commitments.

Day 6 of camp featured Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd sharing the floor in the same 5-on-5 unit during the media-open portion of practice, a notable shift from Day 5 when Bueckers spent extended stretches off the ball next to veteran guard Odyssey Sims. Bueckers, second-year post Rayah Marshall, training camp invitee Amy Okonkwo, and Fernandez each spoke after practice.

Below is a look at what stood out from Friday’s practice.

Friday’s 5-on-5 Takeaways

Bueckers and Fudd Find Early Chemistry. Bueckers handled the ball more in Friday’s session than she did on Day 5, and the shift back into a primary creator role coincided with her sharing the floor with Fudd in the open portion of practice.

The two had a strong sequence playing out of pick-and-roll. Bueckers read the low defender tagging the roller and made a live-dribble pass to Fudd in the corner. Sims aggressively closed out to deter the corner three. Fudd countered with a shot fake into a mid-range pull-up that she made.

That kind of read-and-react sequence is exactly what Fernandez has been installing across the first week of camp.

“With Odyssey, J.J., Lindsay Allen, and Grace, there’s a package with Paige off the ball,” Fernandez said. “She draws so much attention, so the more we can free her up with screens, staggered actions, pin-downs, basket cuts, even using her as a screener, it helps. If her defender has to help, we can bring her off the screen and create advantages.”

Teams will have a tough time accounting for rim rolls and cuts when Bueckers and Fudd are involved in actions together. The low defender is going to be under a lot of pressure to make that split-second decision, and Friday’s reps showed why.

One transition possession stood out. Alysha Clark waited for Bueckers to come off a pindown set by Fudd out of the corner, and the defenders switched, flowing into a pick-and-roll with Zee Spearman. Aziaha James tagged Spearman on the roll, which left Fudd wide open for a clean three.

Bueckers is building a rhythm. Beyond the connective work with Fudd, Bueckers has been impressive in her own right. When a possession needs someone to step up, she has been active off the ball and has taken control.

She had a possession relocating across the perimeter to get the ball out of the post, used a shot fake to force a fly-by on the catch, and pulled up for a clean mid-range look that she made. She also hit a tightly contested mid-range step-back out of a side pick-and-roll. She has been aggressive and is building a real rhythm through the first week of camp.

Bueckers said the offense she is operating in has built that rhythm by design.

“I think it’s the ability to move, change sides of the floor, get defenses in rotation, and attack closeouts, space, and transition,” Bueckers said. “There’s never a stagnant moment. It’s a lot of free-flowing movement, screening, and misdirection. That helps with my off-ball movement, coming off screens, using screens, and also on the ball.”

Fudd is working through her first WNBA training camp. We may be seeing the buildup of tired legs in Fudd’s first WNBA training camp, based on her not hitting shots as usual in late 5-on-5 runs the media has observed in recent days. It could also be coincidental timing on missed shots. Regardless, the accuracy will come. To be fair, teammates have raved about Fudd’s shooting accuracy, and they are around each other much more than the media gets to see.

What matters most is that she has been confident and aggressive, whether or not her shot falls, which is what the Wings want to see. She has been getting clean looks, especially when playing with Bueckers, and letting it fly.

Marshall, who is also in her second year and has spent time around Fudd during camp, has pushed her to attack overplays.

“Even with Azzi, I was just telling her earlier, with her shot, if I had it, I’d get a backdoor every time or a three because guards are overplaying her,” Marshall said. “Just instilling that confidence has been helpful for our offense.”

Li Yueru continues to work on an inside-out balance. At 6-foot-7, Yueru’s impact is an important depth piece for this team. She had some strong moments finishing at the rim Friday, but the coaching staff is still working to find the right balance between spacing the floor and being a paint presence. There was a clear emphasis on Friday to have her play inside the arc.

Defensively, Yueru has been active, playing up in coverage and using her length in the paint to protect the rim. That has been an area of growth for her so far. There is still a need to get on the same page with some of her teammates offensively, as there were turnovers on passes to cutters. Yueru’s ability to be a presence inside has been talked about by Fernandez numerous times and will be something to monitor.

She scored on an and-one in the post using a few pivots and also made a layup on a roll.

Fernandez said the emphasis on the inside is by design.

“With Li, she stretches the floor because she can shoot the three, but we need her to finish more around the basket and do a great job on the glass so we can get out and run,” Fernandez said.

Zee Spearman and Rayah Marshall are taking advantage of more reps. Spearman and Marshall have each gotten a lot of 5-on-5 reps with several bigs away from the team right now, including Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard. Each has shown flashes of being capable of doing the dirty work.

Spearman had an effective face-up jumper late in the 5-on-5 run despite a contest from Yueru. She has also shown an effective feel for timing slips out of pick-and-roll, which helps the ball handler gain an advantage. Smith is expected back on Saturday, so Friday was a favorable chance for Spearman and Marshall to log more reps than they may get later in camp.

Fernandez has spoken about Spearman’s versatility positionally.

“Right now, Zee can play the four and the five, and she’s getting an opportunity to show us what she can do on the glass and how she can run the floor, especially with Shepard not here, Alanna not here, and Olsen not here,” Fernandez said. “I think she’s learning and feeling her way through.”

Marshall said the inside-out balance she is finding has been a mental adjustment more than a physical one.

“For me, at the pro level, a lot of it is mental,” Marshall said. “It’s about getting my timing down. Sometimes, as a young post player, I’m quick to make all my moves at one pace, but it’s about finding a pace that works for me and mentally engaging in my game.”

Marshall said the touches she and the other posts are getting at this stage of camp are partly a function of how defenses are playing the Bueckers-Fudd backcourt.

“With it being dominant backcourt action, I feel like a lot of the touches we’re getting as bigs are one-on-one because people are going to face guard Paige and Azzi,” Marshall said. “So when we do get the ball, it’s a quick thought, you’ve got a couple of seconds to make a play. If they double, which we want them to do, we’ve got dominant shooters on the perimeter.”

Maddy Siegrist continues to produce. Siegrist continues to find ways to get herself free for layups with off-ball movement. It seems like the media sees her do this a few times every day. She also knocked down a 3-pointer Friday. She has been an effective all-around player from the moments the media has seen.

Siegrist also tends to break up a pass or two in the passing lanes every day, the kind of active off-ball defense that has dovetailed with the team-wide emphasis Bueckers has reinforced.

“It’s just competing,” Bueckers said of the team’s defensive identity. “I know I have to set the tone, and we have to set the tone as a team that defense comes first. That’s our mentality here, and we’re trying to grow in that every day.”

Aziaha James and Grace Berger have had some moments. James and Berger have each had moments in recent days. On Friday, they each got a stop on Bueckers. James hit a step-back 3-pointer, and Berger made a late-clock mid-range pull-up.

Bueckers said James’ growth has been one of the more visible developments through the first week of camp.

“She’s grown so much more confident,” Bueckers said of James. “It started with Unrivaled. Every time she stepped up, she played extremely well and worked hard every day.”

“She’s been confident and aggressive on both ends. We need her to be disruptive, crash the offensive boards, get deflections, and be aggressive on offense, hunting shots, getting to the paint, and creating. She’s been doing all of that.”

Berger has been part of the conversation for Fernandez’s point guard rotation, along with Sims, Lindsay Allen, and JJ Quinerly, and she has used the open competition to log meaningful 5-on-5 reps.

Alysha Clark has been a connector. Clark has made solid veteran plays through the open portions of practice. She made a floater to start Friday’s 5-on-5 session and tends to be in the right place, including jumping a pass for a steal. Clark is not here to be flashy, but she ties together units well, which is exactly the kind of veteran impact Fernandez has highlighted.

“It’s showing. Clark’s been great. Paige has been great,” Fernandez said when asked about leadership emerging across the roster. “Odyssey’s been here. Maddy’s played in this league for a long time. Lindsay’s experience. We’re looking forward to getting Arike and Jess here, and Awak after being out of the league, to get them integrated into what we’re doing.”

Building Chemistry Through a New System

Beyond the on-court reps, the players spoke at length about how the early days of camp have built chemistry through the shared experience of learning a new system together.

Bueckers said the team’s internal communication has tracked alongside its growing comfort with Fernandez’s installs.

“Our chemistry and understanding each other’s tendencies, knowing how to play with and off each other,” Bueckers said when asked where the team has improved most since the start of camp. “Our communication has improved as we’ve grown more confident in the system. Our intensity, effort, and energy have been great every day, and they continue to grow. We’re competing extremely hard and going at each other, which has been fun.”

Bueckers said the fact that no one on the roster had a head start in the system has accelerated that process.

“Definitely. When you’re going through something together, it’s much easier than going through it alone,” Bueckers said. “If some players already knew the system, it might be harder to integrate others. Growing through uncomfortable situations helps you get comfortable together. It’s been helpful that we’re all learning it at the same time.”

Marshall, who is in her first year with the franchise, echoed that framing from her own perspective.

“With this also being my first year, it’s helpful that things are new not just for me, but for those around me,” Marshall said. “We’re growing together, learning each other, what players are comfortable with, whether they want a handoff or a ball screen. It helps build chemistry while learning new things together.”

Marshall also pointed to Bueckers as one of the most vocal players in the gym, despite Bueckers still being in her second year. Marshall told a specific story from a Friday defensive rep that she said sums up how the communication has translated into results.

“And even Paige, she’s a young vocal leader. She’s in my class, but she’s always talking,” Marshall said. “We were running a defensive play earlier, and I was in the corner. My player cut through, and she told me, ‘I got you switched.’ I was still able to get a passing lane steal, and the team celebrated me. Those vocal plays are very helpful for me.”

The volume of installs across the early days of camp has been heavy, and Marshall said the staff has done a good job of keeping it manageable.

“Training camp is always like drinking from a fire hose with a straw, it’s naturally intense,” Marshall said. “The staff does a great job of not making it feel unsteady. They pour a lot of energy into us.”

Coaching Without the Full Roster

The Wings opened camp without Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, Awak Kuier, and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, all of whom have been finishing international commitments. Alanna Smith has also been in and out of practice handling immigration-related matters.

Fernandez said the staff has prioritized making sure the players on site know the team’s full playbook so the absent players can integrate quickly when they arrive.

“I think what we’ve done a really good job of is making sure all the players know our packages and can put names to what we’re running,” Fernandez said. “They’ve stayed on top of it. They’re looking forward to getting those players here, and those players are looking forward to being here as well.”

Bueckers said the team has worked to balance present focus with preparation for the players still to arrive.

“I think both, being present with who we have here and getting better every day with that group, but also keeping in mind that we have great pieces still yet to join,” Bueckers said. “Our coaching staff has done a great job getting film, getting things on tape, and writing plays down so the players overseas can learn them. That way when they come, they can implement right away and get into the system.”

Fernandez, in his first year as a WNBA head coach after a long college tenure, said the day-to-day rhythm of professional coaching has been a welcome change.

“It’s been great. We get to coach basketball,” Fernandez said. “We’re not recruiting, dealing with compliance, making phone calls, or meeting with sports information and marketing. It’s just coaching basketball, and that’s why this staff is great.”

Fernandez said the coaching staff’s daily routine begins early and is built around player development.

“We meet in the morning at 8:00, then with sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and analytics at 8:30. We start player development from 9:00 to 10:00, then practice. After that, we eat lunch, meet again, and go home,” Fernandez said.

Amy Okonkwo Pushing for a Roster Spot

Training camp invitee Amy Okonkwo, who signed a hardship contract with the Wings late last season, has used the early days of camp to make a case for a roster spot. Okonkwo said the energy of a full training camp has been noticeably different from the injury-affected stretch that ended her previous stint in Dallas.

“I feel like I came in kind of late, so the experience that I had was a little bit different than the experience that I’m having now,” Okonkwo said. “Last year there were a lot of injuries, and we were ending the season, but I think coming in at the beginning and being able to see everybody fresh and ready to play, give effort, and get prepared for the season, it’s been really nice.”

“I think training camp has been good. It’s a lot of fun,” Okonkwo explained. “I love practices, I love my teammates, and we’re working really hard. We’re building a championship culture, and it’s been great to be a part of.”

Okonkwo credited veterans like Sims for setting the tone for younger players and training camp invitees and said her focus is on doing whatever the staff asks of her.

“They’ve been really great. I think their voices hold a lot of weight,” Okonkwo said. “They’ve been here before, so just listening to the things they have to say, the little tidbits and advice they give each and every one of us, or in a group setting, has been really, really good.

While attempting to earn a roster spot, Okonkwo emphasized the importance of doing what the Wings are asking for and to be a cohesive player.

“I think it’s most important to do what’s asked of me. If I have a shot, shoot it. If I have a post, take it. Play hard defensively, talk, help, and make my teammates better. Set screens and do all the small, tangible things that are going to help the team the best way that I can.”

Okonkwo said her mentality has not changed from her hardship stint a year ago to this training camp invitation.

“No. You’re still playing for a spot no matter what. You’re playing for an opportunity, you’re playing for time,” Okonkwo said. “Then and now, I have the same mentality, just go in, be myself, and do everything that I can.”

“I was hopeful, and it happened, so I was happy about it. I’m very thankful. This is home for me, so I’m happy to be here.”

Jose Fernandez on Rotation Talk

Fernandez was asked Friday about a rotation taking shape after Wings general manager Curt Miller had outlined a projected lineup earlier in the week, with a starting group of Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Fudd, Shepard, and Smith, and a second unit of Sims, James, Siegrist, Kuier, and Yueru. It’s important to note, that was just his personal projection, not a guarantee.

“I don’t,” Fernandez said. “It’s only practice number five. We’ve got people that are not here, and that’s why I wanted to have so many players in training camp. It’s a competition. I like the versatility of this team, and we can definitely play different lineups.”

It’s going to be a while until a rotation is legitimately set, but right now, it’s only a projection, as Miller described it carefully.

“How many we’ll play, we’re far away from that. I’ve got to get these guys ready for May 9,” Fernandez explained. “We have an idea of who’s going to play, who’s going to help us, who needs the ball late in the clock, and what’s expected night in and night out. But as far as top eight, nine, or 10, we’re not even close to being there.”

Up Next

The Wings continue training camp with Smith and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu are expected back Saturday. Dallas opens the preseason against the Indiana Fever on April 30 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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