In her rookie season, Azzi Fudd is resetting the very history of the Dallas Wings franchise. After a slow start to the season, the No. 1 draftee has truly exploded in her two-way role. Now, after her performance against the Golden State Valkyries, Fudd has scripted yet another franchise record.
As per a post shared by the Real App, Fudd has now become the fastest Wings player to record 20+ steals and make 20+ three-pointers. Notably, she did it in 14 games and currently has 21 steals and 24 three-pointers.
Defensive tenacity and fierce shooting from beyond the arc have been the staples of Azzi Fudd’s career. That’s what makes her such a well-developed all-around player and proves her case as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft. One of Fudd’s best defensive performances also came in the Wings’ recent loss to the Valkyries.
The Wings guard recorded five steals in the game, which alone puts her in the franchise record books for the most steals in a single game. In fact, during this game, Fudd alone had more steals than the entire Valkyries team (4).
It’s quite staggering, given that Fudd is showcasing such a defensive work ethic in her rookie season. However, Fudd couldn’t truly explode on the offensive side of things in the game. She went 4 of 13 from the field while recording 2 of 5 from the deep.
While this might not be her best outing from deep, we’ve seen what she can actually do from the three-point line. Remember the game against the New York Liberty when Fudd achieved the record for the most three-pointers made by a Wings rookie in a single game.
She scored six times from deep in the game and even exploded for 24 points in the game. It adds to another silver lining for Azzi Fudd, proving why she’s such a highly touted player.
Despite Fudd’s standout defensive performance against the Valkyries, the Wings unfortunately conceded an 80-91 defeat. Arike Ogunwbowale, Paige Bueckers, and Jessica Shepard scored in double figures as well in the game.
But the Golden State Valkyries were just outright good enough on the night. Notably, the Valkyries scored 46% from the field and even knocked down 48% in threes to clinch the win. However, for Fudd, it would be a memorable night and, importantly, a learning curve in her long career.
After a bit of tough games at the start of the season, Azzi Fudd has earned the belief of the Dallas Wings. She has established herself as a definite starter on the team. And even more important is contributing on both ends of the court.
Her defensive performance against the Golden State Valkyries is a major relief for the Dallas Wings, given their struggles on defense last season. With Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jessica Shepard doing most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end, the Wings can bank upon Fudd to anchor the team’s defense.
And to be honest, she has been doing that exactly. For instance, Fudd is currently leading the Wings in steals (1.2 per game).
If that was not enough, Fudd also has an array of options to score and keep the offense flowing. Head coach Jose Fernandez summed up Fudd’s mentality in the best possible words after the Las Vegas Aces game, where the latter recorded 19 points on the night.
“She doesn’t get frazzled,” Fernandez had said as per Dallas Hoops Journal. “She keeps it real simple. [When] she doesn’t have a three, now people lock up, now people are flying by, she gets to her mid-range, people crowd her, now she’s putting the ball down the floor and getting to the rim.”
Azzi Fudd’s numbers are only going to improve from here. It’s a long season ahead, and her skill sets will sharpen as she spends more time in the league. Nevertheless, with this defeat, the Dallas Wings are now 9-6 in the season. They will take on the Chicago Sky up next on June 20 at the College Park Center.
