LOS ANGELES — Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd could share the floor Friday with one of her longtime mentors, with Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum expected back from an ankle injury.
Fudd, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, has twice attended Plum’s Dawg Class skills camp. Plum, the Sparks’ leading scorer, has missed the last three games, and her return makes it possible for Fudd to match up with the player whose camp she once attended.
“KP is someone that I’ve looked up to for a really long time,” Fudd said. “Being able to attend that, have a relationship with her, and look up to her for all these years is going to be exciting.”
A No. 1 Pick Settling Into the Starting Five
The matchup comes as Fudd has settled into the starting lineup for the Dallas Wings. She ranks third among WNBA rookies in scoring at 12.1 points per game, second in field-goal percentage at 57.1% and second in blocks at 1.0, and she scored 22 points in her first WNBA start. Her shooting gives Dallas a reliable floor-spacer next to Bueckers, and Fernandez has steadily widened her role since her professional debut.
Head coach Jose Fernandez said the Wings will keep leaning on her.
“She was a number one pick and we took her for a reason, and it’s great that now as she’s increased her minutes, she’s a starter,” Fernandez said. “We look forward to continuing to find her in open space and in transition and getting her the basketball, because we’re going to need her to continue to do what she’s been doing.”
Azzi Fudd’s Defensive Assignment
Fudd said slowing a high-efficiency Sparks offense starts with a collective effort.
“We know their offensive efficiency is incredibly high, so making sure that we’re limiting them and making things as difficult as possible,” Fudd said. “Playing team defense, clogging the paint.”
The Sparks rank eighth in the WNBA in offensive rating at 107.9, while Dallas comes in fourth in defensive rating at 103.2 after holding Seattle to a season-low 56 points on Monday. A win Friday would give the Wings a fourth straight victory.
The Wings visit the Sparks on Friday at Crypto.com Arena with tip-off set for 9 p.m. CT on ION.
