Azzi Fudd’s Quiet Wings Debut Raises Fair Questions About Her Early Role

The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever by a score of 107-104 on May 9, which was the highest-scoring opening-day game in WNBA history.

Given this offensive display, one might assume that Azzi Fudd, whom the Wings selected with the first pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft, made her impact felt right away. This was not the case.

For one, Fudd wasn't in Dallas' starting lineup. ESPN broadcasters Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter both expressed frustration about this during the game's halftime show, with Ogwumike staring at the camera and saying, "Azzi Fudd should be starting." She then mentioned how the last No. 1 pick in a draft not to start their first regular season game was Kelsey Plum back in 2017, as if this was proof Fudd should have been in Dallas' starting five.

Carter echoed this sentiment by suggesting that Fudd's ability to space the floor makes her worthy of starting.

While this sentiment from Carter and Ogwumike might be true on paper, Fudd's performance suggests otherwise. She finished with 3 points on just 1 of 2 shooting from the field in 18 minutes, and also added 1 rebound and 1 steal.

Those 3 points are the fewest a No. 1 pick has scored in their WNBA debut over the past 20 seasons, according to StatMuse. And this comes off a preseason where Fudd averaged 8 points per game over two contests, which left a lot to be desired.

Azzi Fudd’s Slow Start And Bench Role With Wings Deserves Context, Not Panic

Wings head coach Jose Fernandez was asked what he's looking for with Fudd when she comes off the bench, and he said, “Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got 5 really talented backcourt players," per an X post from Drake Keeler.

While this sentiment might sound like mere coach-speak at first, Fernandez is actually speaking the truth on several fronts. One of them is that the Wings' roster construction doesn't make an immediate starting spot for Fudd clear. They have Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale in the backcourt, neither of whom should be coming off the bench.

Many would have thought Fudd should have started over Odyssey Sims. But that was before Sims scored 20 points in 26 minutes on Saturday. Dallas probably would have lost if not for her contribution.

Perhaps there's a case to be made that Fudd starting will help her get into a groove. But Dallas' season isn't about getting Fudd into a groove. It's about winning a WNBA championship, and Jose Fernandez clearly believes that starting her isn't the best way to achieve that right now.

As Andraya Carter said at halftime, Fudd will probably be in the starting five at some point. But Fudd doesn't have a right to start just because she's talented, nor because she's the first pick, especially on a team as talented as Dallas.

There's no reason to panic about her slow start, given how talented she is. And she will earn that starting spot eventually. It just hasn't happened yet.

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