Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd gave the crowd at Wintrust Arena in Chicago that patented, sly little infectious grin she’s become adored for after scorching the nets for 30 of the possible 40 points in the final round of the 2026 WNBA 3-point shooting contest on Friday.
Bridget Carleton of the Portland Fire came into the final round in pole position after scoring 27 points in the first round, but when Fudd hit every shot from the left corner in the first rack of the final round, it was a foregone conclusion.
She got hot at the right time and will bring the 3-point contest trophy back with her to Dallas, the first rookie to win the contest in the 13 years it has been in place at All-Star Weekend.
“To be the first is definitely an honor,” Fudd said. “I feel like it’s, kind of going back — coming back from injuries, it was a lot of chair shooting, a lot of stationary shots, and so you get really good at shooting off a rack and being stationary and robotic, and having your shot down to a tee.”
The Wings selected Fudd out of the University of Connecticut with the first overall pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft in April. She started the season coming off the bench for Dallas, while Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles, who was selected second overall, got off to a scorching start to the year, including 21 points and eight assists in Minnesota’s season-opening loss to the Atlanta Dream. Fudd scored just three and eight points in her first two WNBA games. The head-scratching commenced.
But Fudd has taken steps forward for the Wings all season. She scored 24 and 22 points in back-to-back games in late May on 9-of-17 shooting from 3-point range, including her first WNBA start, which came in an emphatic 95-87 win over the Las Vegas Aces.
That win, perhaps more than any other this year, announced the arrival of the Wings as an emerging force to be reckoned with on the WNBA scene, and along with it, Fudd’s arrival as one of the most lethal young shooting threats in the league.
She now ranks 10th in the league with 2.2 3-pointers per game this season and is also 10th in total 3-pointers made with 53. The 5-11 guard made 20-of-26 shots in the final round, including eight of her last 10, to finish with 30 points and defeat Carleton and her 19-point tally. Fudd’s 30-point final-round score is tied for the second-highest score in a finale in WNBA 3-Point Contest history.
As Fudd and Miles, who was voted in as a starter in Saturday’s All-Star game, continue to develop, there will always be a lively conversation centered around the Wings front office’s decision-making process in selecting Fudd first over Miles in April’s draft. But with Friday’s 3-point contest win, Fudd made one thing clear. The Wings have something special going on in the backcourt.
The vibes are high in Dallas (Arlington, for the time being). Fudd’s infectious aura fits in here so well. Comparison doesn’t have to be the thief of the joy she brings to the Wings roster.
And how’s this for aura?
In her post-contest presser, Fudd was asked about taking on her friend and mentor Steph Curry in a future 3-point shooting contest.
“Steph if you’re listening, I’ve been asking for a rematch since high school,” Fudd said. “So maybe it’s our time to figure out a good time and a place.”
Wings teammates Paige Bueckers and Jessica Shepard are both set to start Saturday’s All-Star Game, which will tip off at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
