Dallas Wings rookie guard Azzi Fudd’s ongoing knee soreness has sidelined her for the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season, as she is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on her right knee. But her absence has raised new concerns regarding the Wings roster.

Dallas Wings announced that Kitija Laksa will be joining the Wings as a replacement for Fudd. According to an X post uploaded on August 25, Wings head coach Jose Fernandez believes Laksa can help improve the team’s 3-point shooting.

“I think she's got a really good international experience and EuroLeague experience,” Fernandez told reporters. “We were talking about our 3-point shooting the other day. That's something that needs to get better.”

Fernandez went on to recount how the Wings players practiced 3-point shooting, with experienced players like Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale  faring well.

“I think it gives us an experienced player that's played in big games and big atmospheres that can knock down open shots and that can help stretch the floor,” Fernandez told reporters, per the August 25 X post.

According to Athlon Sports, Dallas was granted a Season-Ending Injury Exception by the WNBA, which allowed it to sign Laksa for the remainder of the season as a replacement for Fudd. 

Laksa was first drafted No. 11 overall by the Seattle Storm during the 2020 WNBA Draft. But after COVID-19 restrictions delayed her arrival, she decided to remain in Europe and continued her professional career. 

Laksa eventually made her WNBA debut in 2025 with the Phoenix Mercury. But will she truly bring an end to the Wings’ 2026 season troubles?

Can Laksa give the Dallas Wings the edge they need?

The last game Fudd played was on August 5, against the Washington Mystics. Since then, the Wings have struggled without Fudd among the lineup, holding a dismal 1-4 record.

Wings HC Jose Fernandez believes Laksa’s experience will fulfill the gap Fudd left behind.

The Latvian basketball star did indeed play a similar role in Phoenix last season, when she stepped in when several star players of the team dealt with injuries.

“Laksa appeared in 33 games, including five starts, and averaged 5.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists. Laksa became a key piece for the Mercury early in the season as the team dealt with injuries to several of its star players,” Wendy Lopez of Burncity Sports wrote on August 25. 

Laksa displayed standout performances with the Phoenix Mercury in 2025, scoring 18 points in a 94-89 win against the Chicago Sky. Ironically, she also scored 14-points against Dallas the same season. 

Moreover, she holds career WNBA averages of 5.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.

If Kitija Laksa maintains a similar level of performance this season, she might be just what Dallas needs to pull through this season.

Written by

Arundhoti Palit

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit