‘We Should Be Well Rested’: Dallas Wings Turn Practice Week Into Tune-Up For Stretch Run To All-Star Break

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings had not played since last Sunday, and coach Jose Fernandez used the extra days to get his team retooled for a stretch of three games in four days that leads into the WNBA All-Star break.

“Well, haven’t played since Sunday, so we should be well rested,” Fernandez said.

The plan wasn’t always pointed at Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. Dallas had already begun preparing for a matchup with the New York Liberty, the second of the three games on the upcoming slate, before the schedule shifted the priority to Los Angeles this week.

“The good thing is we had already gotten ready for New York the previous day,” Fernandez said. “We were getting ready for a shootaround, and then our practice became an L.A. practice. We kept the same cadence, got a lot of film work done today on L.A., had a really good practice, and we’ll play them tomorrow.”

Fernandez said the keys against the Sparks are the same ones that have carried Dallas to a 16-8 record and a five-game winning streak.

“I think we’ve got to continue to do what we do in transition, share the ball, take high-efficiency shots and really execute in the half-court,” Fernandez said. “Defensively, we’re going to have to do a great job guarding one-on-one. On the glass, collectively, we’ve got to block out and rebound.”

A Rare Week at Home

The Wings had not played since beating the Chicago Sky, and Wings coach Jose Fernandez used the extra days to get his team retooled.

“Well, haven’t played since Sunday, so we should be well rested,” Fernandez said.

The prep work wasn’t always pointed squarely at Los Angeles. Dallas plays New York again Monday and travels to Portland Wednesday, and Fernandez said the staff had already begun laying groundwork for the Liberty before this week’s practices shifted focus to the Sparks.

“The good thing is we had already gotten ready for New York the previous day,” Fernandez said. “We were getting ready for a shootaround, and then our practice became an L.A. practice. We kept the same cadence, got a lot of film work done today on L.A., had a really good practice, and we’ll play them tomorrow.”

Fernandez said the keys against the Sparks are the same ones that have carried Dallas through its five-game run.

“I think we’ve got to continue to do what we do in transition, share the ball, take high-efficiency shots and really execute in the half-court,” Fernandez said. “Defensively, we’re going to have to do a great job guarding one-on-one. On the glass, collectively, we’ve got to block out and rebound.”

Azzi Fudd said the downtime mattered as much as any of the film work, coming off a 10-day road trip that included a record-setting stop in Montreal.

“The extra practice time and extra downtime have been great,” Fudd said. “We just came off that 10-day road trip, so it’s been really nice to sleep in our own beds, be back with everyone’s dogs, play with other people’s dogs, and spend time together on this court. We’ve been able to eat, sleep and get the reps we needed.”

With three games in four days on deck before the All-Star break, Fudd said her preparation starts well before tip-off.

“It starts with sleep and nutrition,” Fudd said. “We have a great training staff, so I make sure I’m getting the right lifts in and activating the right things before I get on the court. Before and after practice, it’s about warming up correctly, getting the right treatment, getting in the cold tubs and doing every little thing I can to stay ready.”

Riding a Five-Game Surge

Dallas’ current streak started with a comeback. The Wings trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half against Chicago on July 12 before closing on a 30-18 fourth quarter to win, 96-91, at American Airlines Center. Five players reached double figures for the ninth time this season, led by Paige Bueckers, who posted her fourth career double-double with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1 block.

That win produced a franchise rarity. Bueckers, Jessica Shepard (19 points, 10 rebounds), and Li Yueru (10 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double, only the third time that’s happened for Dallas and the first since July 31, 2018. Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso and Azurá Stevens also posted double-doubles, and the five combined double-doubles set a WNBA record for a regulation game.

Bueckers has carried that form into the record book. She was named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week for games played July 2-12, the first Player of the Week honor of her career and the third by a Wings player this season, joining Shepard’s honors on May 31 and June 23. The Associated Press named Bueckers its Player of the Week on July 13.

Shepard, meanwhile, has quietly built a Most Improved Player case. She has 21 double-digit scoring games this season, already more than her previous two regular seasons combined. Her July 12 line of 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists was her seventh game this season with at least 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists — a mark no other player in the league has reached more than twice.

Building an Offense Around Ball Movement

Fernandez pointed to two numbers as evidence that the offense is trending in the right direction.

“We’re leading the league in the fewest turnovers per game and the most assists per game,” Fernandez said. “I think we’re tied with another team in field goal attempts and field goals made. There are a lot of really good things we’re doing offensively. We just have to continue to defend, bring weak-side help and protect the rim more.”

Much of that ball movement flows through Bueckers, whose decision-making gives Fernandez room to avoid calling a play every trip down the floor. When Bueckers is off the ball, the priority becomes simple: protect it and get her as many touches as possible.

Shepard has become the release valve when defenses try to take Bueckers away.

“When you involve Jess in pick-and-roll situations and teams trap, I’m excited because now we’re attacking four-on-three,” Fernandez said. “Jess becomes the initiator.”

Azzi Fudd’s Historic Rookie Rise

Fernandez has made a point of highlighting what Fudd is doing without the ball, calling her the three-level scorer Dallas needed as the No. 1 overall pick.

“For me, she’s a three-level scorer, and she’s exactly what we needed as the No. 1 draft pick,” Fernandez said. “As she continues to grow, she can attack both ways, going to her right and her left, and get to the free throw line more. But I’ve been very pleased with the season she’s having on both ends of the floor.”

The numbers back him up. Through 23 games, Fudd has already surpassed 300 points, 40 steals, and 20 blocks, making her the fastest guard and third-fastest player in WNBA history to reach those marks, trailing only Tamika Catchings (17 games) and Yolanda Griffith (18 games).

Fudd said the defensive production wasn’t a target she set for herself heading into her rookie year, but rather a byproduct of how she wanted to compete.

“I knew I was going to be aggressive and take pride in my defense, but I wasn’t looking at it like, ‘I want this many blocks or this many steals,'” Fudd said. “I just wanted to make things difficult for the other team.”

She credited a UConn coaching staff that spent years pushing her to keep her hands active, even when the steals weren’t coming.

“Coach at UConn used to tell me, ‘You’re the most conservative player we have. You don’t get any steals,'” Fudd said. “He always emphasized having your hands out. If your hands are out, people will throw the ball right into them. You’d be surprised how many passes and deflections you’ll get just by having your hands up instead of down.”

Fudd said her communication on defense has also improved, partly because of Alysha Clark.

“Alysha Clark is constantly telling me, ‘I don’t hear you. Just talk. Tell us what you see,” Fudd said. “That’s something I struggled with at UConn and could have done a much better job with. Being here, surrounded by the best of the best every day, has helped me improve.”

Chemistry Behind the Run

Yueru said the culture inside the locker room has changed the way she sees herself on the floor.

“I feel more confident about myself,” Yueru said. “Sometimes I didn’t really trust myself or believe I could play in this league. This year I’ve been learning how to give myself confidence, and my teammates have given me a lot of that confidence.”

Asked what’s fueled the run, Yueru didn’t point to a scheme change or a lineup tweak.

“I think it’s our huddles,” Yueru said. “Every chance we get, we huddle together and try to fix things, whether it’s in the locker room or during the game. There aren’t any big problems here. We can fix a lot of things ourselves, and I feel really great about that.”

Scouting the Los Angeles Sparks

Dallas already has the Sparks’ number this season. The Wings beat Los Angeles, 104-96, on the road June 5, their first regular-season road win over the Sparks since May 26, 2024.

All five starters scored in double figures that night, led by Arike Ogunbowale‘s season-high 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Bueckers added 18 points and a career-high 14 assists that tied the Wings’ single-game record. Los Angeles still leads the all-time series, 51-33.

The Sparks arrive off a 96-82 road loss to Chicago on Friday, with Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby each scoring 18 points.

Alanna Smith is doubtful for Dallas with a right leg injury.

Tip-off is set for noon CT Sunday on ABC at College Park Center. Dallas then hosts New York again Monday before a Wednesday trip to Portland closes out the stretch ahead of the WNBA All-Star break in Chicago.