Most No. 1 overall picks arrive in the league carrying offensive expectations. Azzi Fudd has met those, but what has separated her early in the 2026 WNBA season is what she is doing on the other end of the floor.

Fudd addressed her defensive approach directly in a sideline headset interview aired during a CBS Sports broadcast, a clip later shared on X.

"I've really tried to take pride in my defense this season. Defense is one of the more controllable things; it's mostly effort. When I'm on the floor, I might not know where the ball will come from or if my shots will fall, but I can control keeping my man in front of me, boxing out, and moving the floor. I'm taking pride in those little things," Fudd said in the CBS Sports sideline interview shared on X.

The numbers validate exactly what she described. Fudd is averaging 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, ranking 6th in the WNBA in steals and making her the only rookie guard in the league averaging over one steal and one block simultaneously.

Opponents shooting against her contest are converting just 24% from midrange and 28.9% from three.

This individual effort is contributing to the larger identity that Dallas has been creating defensively during the current season. Under head coach Jose Fernandez, the Wings allow only 85.7 points per game, 6th-best in the WNBA, and boast a defensive rating of 107.4.

The team is also controlling the pace of the game by having only 79.2 possessions per game.

Fudd is averaging 13.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across 18 appearances this season alongside those defensive numbers.

Those numbers, however, could not prevent Dallas from running into a familiar wall on Sunday afternoon.

Wings Drop Back-to-Back to Lynx, Fall to 11-8

The Dallas Wings have lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season, and both losses belong to Minnesota.

The Lynx beat Dallas 85-77 on Sunday, handing the Wings consecutive defeats as they now head into a demanding two-week road trip through Connecticut, Toronto, and New York.

Fudd and Paige Bueckers combined for 46 points, but it was not enough against a Lynx roster that put four players in double figures.

Dallas managed only 29 points in the first half while committing eight turnovers, and outside of Bueckers, Fudd, and 12 points from Maddie Siegrist, the Wings had no other scoring answers.

Olivia Miles controlled the game on the other side, finishing with 21 points and 8 assists for Minnesota. The Lynx improved to 15-4, the best record in the WNBA, while Dallas dropped to 11-8.

Miles also picked up a technical foul and had notable on-court exchanges with both Bueckers and Wings forward Jessica Shepard throughout the afternoon.

Dallas now heads into a two-week road stretch before returning home July 12 against Chicago, the first game of the season at American Airlines Center. The Wings and Lynx meet one final time on August 9 in Minnesota.

Who do you think is the better two-way rookie this season, Azzi Fudd or Olivia Miles? Comment down below.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta