Azzi Fudd is available for the Dallas Wings against the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday after missing the home opener because of a right knee injury. The Wings listed the No. 1 pick as questionable before tipoff, then moved her out shortly before Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta, a stretch that left her status uncertain for much of the week.
Fudd’s return matters because Dallas has already had a brief but revealing look at what she can do. In the season opener against the Indiana Fever, she scored three points in 18 minutes, a modest stat line that still showed why the Wings used the No. 1 pick on her in the 2026 WNBA draft. With the Lynx visiting Dallas on Thursday, the team gets another chance to see how Fudd fits into the rotation when she is in uniform and available.
Coach Jose Fernandez declined to go into the specifics before the game. “I’m not going to discuss anything medically in regards to her or what she has done in practice, what she hasn’t done in practice,” he said, adding that “she’s a big part of this team” and that “there’s a reason why we drafted her No. 1 and she’s going to have a great season for the Wings.”
The Wings have offered limited detail on Fudd’s injury, leaving the public view mostly to official availability reports. That has made each update on her status more important than usual, especially for a team trying to settle its early-season rotation while handling one of the most closely watched young players in the league. Olivia Miles of TCU went No. 2 in the draft, one spot behind Fudd.
For Dallas, Thursday is less about the label beside Fudd’s name and more about what follows if she is able to play. The Wings have already seen that even a short appearance can change the shape of the offense, and they now have to decide how quickly to lean on a player they clearly expect to be central to the season.
