INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd 35 looks to the sidelines during the women s college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and UConn Huskies on February 22, 2025, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 22 Women s - UConn at Butler EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2502201354
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd 35 looks to the sidelines during the women s college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and UConn Huskies on February 22, 2025, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 22 Women s - UConn at Butler EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2502201354
Dallas Wings fans flooded social media with support for guard Azzi Fudd after she came out of Friday night's warm-ups with a knee scare ahead of the team's game against the Golden State Valkyries.
Azzi Fudd went through Dallas' full pregame routine on Friday before right knee soreness showed up. And the team chose to sideline her out of caution.
Without her, the Wings never really got going. Aziaha James stepped into the starting lineup, but Dallas lost the game 94-76.
James finished with 13 points on a rough 3-of-12 shooting night, with seven of those points coming from the free-throw line.
The defeat dropped the Wings to 19-13.
Butler V Connecticut Azzi Fudd 35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during a break in play against the Butler Bulldogs during an NCAA, College League, USA women s basketball game at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 07, 2026. Hartford United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xFedericoxTorresx originalFilename:torres-notitle260207_npQNZ.jpg
Butler V Connecticut Azzi Fudd 35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during a break in play against the Butler Bulldogs during an NCAA, College League, USA women s basketball game at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 07, 2026. Hartford United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xFedericoxTorresx originalFilename:torres-notitle260207_npQNZ.jpg
Dallas has managed just two wins in its last six games entering Friday. And now finds itself trying to steady the ship against two teams sitting near the top of the standings. Golden State's 22-9 club and a Minnesota team that's been the class of the WNBA all season.
As for whether Fudd plays the next game, the team's X handle has posted that her status for the Lynx game 'will be determined before that contest.
Fudd has already become a big part of Dallas in her first WNBA season. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft has been averaging about 13 points a game, along with 1.8 assists and 1.7 rebounds, and she had only missed one game before Friday.
She has also already had a few big moments, including a career-high 26 points against Seattle and a win in the WNBA 3-Point Contest during All-Star weekend.
Fans rally behind Fudd and hope for a quick recovery
The moment Dallas Wings PR shared the news, its X handle filled up with support for the rookie by the fans.
"Rest up rook!!" one fan wrote, while another fan added: "heal up azzi."
In just one season, Fudd has gone from rookie promise to one of the most beloved players on the roster because of her versatile presence in the field.
"She deserves to rest," another fan said after watching Fudd basically never leave the lineup.
Outside of Friday, she had played in every game Dallas has this season, except one.
That's why another fan added: "Rest well, my rook!"
Not every reaction was calm, though.
"NOOOOO. I hope she heals up and it's nothing serious," one worried fan posted.
The concern is understandable because Fudd’s right knee has a long injury history. She first tore her ACL and MCL in 2019 at a USA Basketball event, and later tore the same ACL plus her medial meniscus during UConn practice in November 2023, which ended that season.
She's had the knee surgically repaired twice. So any hint of soreness is enough to put the Wings fans on edge, even when, as in this case, the team is simply being cautious.
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Written by
Md Saife Fida
Edited by
Rudra Dubey