Chiney Ogwumike trashes Wings for their Azzi Fudd plan

Chiney Ogwumike trashes Wings for their Azzi Fudd plan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Wings made Azzi Fudd the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft out of UConn.

Generally, that would mean Fudd would get something at least kind of resembling the keys to the kingdom.

Instead, in the Wings' first game, Fudd didn't even start.

She came off the bench and took just two shots in 17 minutes.

Former WNBA star and current analyst Chiney Ogwumike thinks that's ridiculous.

“Playing 17 minutes and only shooting the ball twice is something that should never happen with your number one pick," Ogwumike said on her Chiney Today show. "She needs to have the opportunity to create her own destiny.”

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That wasn't all.

“You have the number one pick, and the last thing you want is for her not to feel completely confident," Ogwumike also said. "Azzi Fudd is the best shooter we’ve seen in a long time, she’s a pure shooter. You don’t want to create that lack of confidence in your number one pick.”

Those are all fair points. It isn't the best look for the Wings.

To be fair to Dallas, Fudd is a bit of a quirky No. 1 pick. She's not necessarily a ball-dominant player.

Part of the reason she took only two shots is that she didn't hunt looks for herself. When she wasn't open, Fudd kept the ball moving.

But still -- it seems you'd want Fudd to develop in the lineup with the other key pieces of your future, like Paige Bueckers.

Maybe the minutes and shots will go up for Fudd soon enough, but at least for now, her role is a bit questionable.

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