Wings No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd downgraded on injury report

Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24), Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) react to the action Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the first half of the Feverís season opener game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Azzi Fudd, the number one overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, made her debut for the Dallas Wings in Dallas’ 107-104 win over the Indiana Fever on Saturday. Unfortunately, Fudd didn’t leave as strong aas an impact as she may have hoped.

After surprisingly being left out of the starting lineup, Fudd scored only three points off the bench in 18 minutes of game action. Now, we may have an explanation for the slow start to Fudd’s career.

On Monday, the WNBA downgraded Fudd from healthy to”questionable,” as she popped up on its injury report ahead of Tuesday’s game between the Wings and the Atlanta Dream. Fudd’s knee, which she has had issues with in both high school and her time in college with the UConn Huskies, is troubling her again.

Even if she’s cleared to play, don’t expect Fudd to be in the starting lineup. Dallas head coach Jose Fernando is in no rush to speed up her development.

“Is she capable of (starting)? Yes, she is,” Fernandez told the media on Monday. “When it does happen, I think she’ll be ready.”

“I don’t think about it that way. Is she capable of doing that? Yes, she is … When it does happens, I think she’ll be ready,” Fernandez said, according Wings reporter Drake Keeler. Although the first-year head coach conceded that he can do more to help her find her footing.

“The other thing, when she gets in and she’s a shooter, , get her some looks, but you got to give other teams credit too. Other teams prepare for really good players.”