Azzi Fudd delivered an absolutely historic performance at the WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Friday night, scoring a ridiculous 30 points in the final round to clinch the title. She absolutely blew past Portland Fire forward Bridgeton Carleton, becoming the very first rookie to ever win this competition. And seriously, she barely even broke a sweat doing it.
Fudd’s Ice-Cold Performance Bags Record Cash
Forget the pressure, Fudd walks onto the court like she owns it. She only missed six shots in that final face-off, even nailing a back-breaking money ball when it counted most. You’d think she’d be hyped, but she kept that cool expression the whole time. When asked about it, Fudd just deadpanned, “You say only missed six shots, and that feels like a lot. I should have made more.” That’s the mindset of a winner right there. This wasn’t just about the title, either. She bagged a record $60,000 in prize money, with $20,000 coming from the new collective bargaining agreement and another $40,000 from Aflac. Talk about a payday, maybe a family vacation is in the cards. It’s also wild to think she’s the first UConn player to win this thing, a real “wait, what?” moment given that Husky pipeline. Her veteran teammate Alysha Clark was rocking Fudd’s No. 35 jersey, Jessica Shepard was cheering her on, and the Dallas Wings front office watched everything from the corner. Those Wings staffers even frantically rebounded balls and reset racks for her practice this week, working with only two! When that final bucket swished, Dallas EVP and GM Curt Miller gave a calm fist-pump. CEO Greg Bibb was high-fiving everyone, including head coach Jose Fernandez. Why no huge celebration? Because to them, Fudd sinking buckets is just old news. They’ve known it all along.
Olivia Miles Shines While Fudd Snaps a Streak
The Wings drafted Fudd as the heavily debated No. 1 overall pick in April, with all four lottery picks jumbled until the last minute. Coach Fernandez even kept her on the bench for the first few games, which sparked a ton of speculation and conversation. The question was, why’d they even take her at all if she wasn’t playing? Meanwhile, over in Minnesota, No. 2 pick Olivia Miles has been absolutely electric, solidifying herself as a legend-in-the-making. Miles is an MVP favorite right now, dropping historic numbers in head coach Cheryl Reeve’s system, and she plays with a professional ease that totally belies her years. She’s also the *only* 2026 rookie to be selected for the All-Star Game on Saturday, joining Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Kelsey Mitchell as starting guards. Clark (’24), Bueckers (’25), and Aliyah Boston (’23) all earned All-Star rookie status as No. 1 overall picks, an unprecedented three-year stretch. Boston even became just the eighth player in WNBA history to *start* an All-Star game as a rookie. Fudd, by not being in the All-Star Game, snapped that incredible streak.
Even though Fudd snapped that rookie All-Star game streak, she still absolutely staked her claim to “All-Star status” with that performance. There is no doubt about her shooting talent. But let’s be real: she’s gonna be measured against Miles forever. That’s just how it goes when you’re two stars from the same draft class, like when Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner were constantly compared. This win is huge for Fudd’s confidence and for proving the Dallas front office right, at least on one front. But with Miles dominating and starting in the All-Star Game, the debate over that No. 1 pick is still far from settled. Every game is going to be a statement for both of them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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