Jose Fernandez Still Won’t Commit to Azzi Fudd Being a Starter After Best Rookie Performance

The Wings rookie is still waiting her turn to be named to the starting five.

Azzi Fudd put up her best rookie performance thus far against the Liberty, scoring 24 points and six three-pointers. | Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images

Arguably one of the biggest conversations during the start of this WNBA season has been regarding Azzi Fudd’s role on the Wings, where she was drafted first overall last month. New Dallas coach Jose Fernandez has opted for Fudd to come off the bench in all six games she’s played in instead of putting her in the starting lineup. This decision has sparked debate across the league and with fans.

After each game, Fernandez has been asked about a timeline regarding Fudd starting for the Wings this season, as he has hinted that she will be in the starting five at some point. However, the coach still won’t offer an idea of when she could elevate her role on the team.

Fudd logged her best performance of her rookie season so far on Sunday against the Liberty. She had 24 points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 32 minutes off the bench. Fudd played more than two of the team’s starters, and tied with Paige Bueckers for being the Wings’ top scorer of the night. She even started in the second half over Odyssey Sims.

Did this incredible performance make an impact on her chances of starting? Fernandez still didn’t offer much of an answer, and he dismissed WNBA reporter Natalie Esquire’s question regarding Fudd’s status in his post-game press conference. Here’s the little information he did share about Fudd’s starting situation.

“We’re headed in that direction,” Fernandez said. “I think it showed with her being on the floor and what she did. She started in the second half.”

“We’re headed in that direction.” - Jose Fernandez on whether Azzi Fudd will be starting for the Dallas Wings going forward pic.twitter.com/oNC4LtgJOx

— Natalie Esquire (@natfluential) May 24, 2026

Fudd notably made six three-pointers, which is her most in a game thus far in her WNBA career. Additionally, Fudd scored 17 points in the third quarter alone, tied for the second-most in a single quarter by a rookie since the league shifted to quarters in 2006, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.

Surely a performance like this will increase Fudd’s chances of jumping into the starting five earlier than maybe originally planned for. Fudd isn’t worried either way whether she remains coming off the bench or moves up to becoming a starter. She acknowledged after the game that the Wings are filled with impressive veteran players, like Arike Ogunbowale and Alanna Smith.

“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. “I’m going to earn my time from what I do in practice.”

With the six three-pointers made by Fudd on Sunday, she officially broke the Wings’ franchise rookie record for the most in a single game, breaking Bueckers’s tied record from last season. Bueckers was thrilled with Fudd’s performance, though, and was excited Fudd surpassed her for that record.

“She was huge,” Bueckers said. “... It was probably only a matter of time before she got going and got hot from the 3-point line. So, yeah, records are meant to be broken, and I’m happy she got that one.” 

The Wings next play on Thursday night against the reigning champion Aces. Keep an eye out to see if Fernandez finally decides to put Fudd in the starting lineup.

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