The Dallas Wings opened their 2026 WNBA preseason on Thursday with a 95-80 win against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. While the spotlight was on reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers and Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, fans also watched the preseason debut of 2026 No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd.
The game marked the first look in a Wings jersey for Fudd, who finished with four points and one assist on 2-for-7 shooting (0-for-2 on 3-pointers). Bueckers led Dallas in the preseason win with 20 points and three assists on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range.
Meanwhile, Clark scored 21 points and went 11-for-13 from the free-throw line for Indiana.
Fudd started the game alongside Bueckers, Alanna Smith, Maddy Siegrist and Odyssey Sims. In the opening quarter, Fudd played seven minutes and scored two points on 1-for-3 shooting (0-for-2 from 3-point range). She scored her lone basket via a pull-up shot in transition. Indiana led 29-25 after the first 10 minutes.
Dallas turned the game around in the second quarter and led by as many as 21. The Wings outscored the Fever 36-17 in the period to take a 61-46 lead into halftime. Fudd played less than a minute in the second and did not attempt a shot.
In the third quarter, Fudd played eight minutes and had two points and one assist on 1-for-4 shooting. Dallas extended its lead to 23 in the period and led 78-66 heading into the fourth period. Fudd did not play the rest of the game, as the Wings held on to their lead.
Azzi Fudd’s stats
Fudd is coming off her five-year collegiate career with the UConn Huskies and was the top pick in the draft earlier this month. She and Bueckers were also teammates during UConn’s run to the 2025 NCAA championship.
Steph Curry praises Azzi Fudd for being the No. 1 pick: “She’s earned every bit”
In his “ThirtyInk” newsletter on Wednesday, Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry commented on Azzi Fudd being the No. 1 pick of the 2026 WNBA draft.
“The energy around the WNBA draft this year was unmatched, and seeing Azzi Fudd go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Wings was a special moment for the whole crew,” Curry wrote. “It’s been a true full-circle journey watching her.
“From her days as a standout at Curry Camp to seeing her dominate at UConn and lead them to that 2025 National Championship was just the beginning. The league is getting a world-class person and we couldn’t be prouder to see a member of the ‘Curryverse’ taking that next leap to the pro stage. Let’s give her her flowers – she’s earned every bit of this.”
Azzi Fudd and the Dallas Wings return to preseason action on Sunday to face the Las Vegas Aces at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The Wings will open the season with a rematch against the Fever on May 9 in Indiana.
Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
