Azzi Fudd Enters Starting Lineup for Dallas Wings

Azzi Fudd's days coming off the bench for the Dallas Wings have come to an end (at least for now).

Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

It didn't take Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd long to prove why she was not only deserving of the No. 1 pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft, but also why she seems destined to be a superstar in this league.

Fudd had a relatively slow start to her WNBA career. This was relative in the sense that it only lasted a couple of games, however. Because the regular season is still less than a month old, Fudd has already hit her stride.

This was shown by a breakout performance against the New York Liberty, where she scored 24 points, had a team-high +22, and set the Wings' rookie record for three-pointers in a game, with six.

Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

What's perhaps most impressive about this performance is that Azzi was coming off the bench, which is a role she has assumed to this point in her professional career.

While it was fair that she wasn't starting when she hadn't necessarily earned it yet, this performance against the Liberty told many that Fudd is now ready to be in the Wings' starting five.

And that's exactly what has happened, as Fudd is part of Dallas' starting lineup for their May 28 contest against the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, according to an X post from ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

News: 2026 No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd will make her first career start tonight as the Dallas Wings take on the Las Vegas Aces, sources tell ESPN. While the Wings have multiple starters on the IR with illnesses, Fudd is set to make her debut in the starting five regardless of…

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) May 28, 2026

Azzi Fudd's Entrance Into Wings' Starting Lineup Comes at Perfect Time

As Philippou's post alluded to, the Wings have multiple players who are expected to miss Thursday's game because of an illness, which made it likely that Fudd was going to start regardless of whether Fernandez deemed she was worthy of taking some existing starter's spot.

But Philippou also conveyed that Fudd was going to become a starter on May 28 regardless of these players dealing with illnesses, which further shows that he truly believes that she's ready for this elevated role.

Arike Ogunbowale (illness) downgraded to questionable Thursday.

— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) May 28, 2026

What's for sure is that, especially if star guard Arike Obunbowale (who is one of the sick players) is inactive, the Wings will need Fudd to step up in what's sure to be increased minutes and produce a similar performance to what she did against the Liberty a few days ago.

And Azzi proved throughout her college career at UConn that she can rise to the occasion when the opportunity presents itself. It will be up to her and Paige Bueckers to lead the Wings' scoring effort against A'ja Wilson and the rest of Las Vegas' loaded roster.