Why Dallas hoops has everyone talking
Dallas professional hoops on both the men’s and women’s side have been national hot topics of discussion over the last couple of weeks. But with chivalry being alive and well, ladies first.
I just want the applause to be as loud as the disrespect when it comes to Dallas Wings guard and 2026 No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd.
The former UConn Husky has yet to crack the starting lineup, and after the first two games of her career, many questioned whether she was worthy of the top selection.
Fudd displayed some nerves and did not look as comfortable as we’re accustomed to seeing in her first two games, but any rookie deserves grace this early in their career—the WNBA is a completely different and more physical game than college.
However, Fudd is coming off her best performance of the season, dropping 24 points while shooting 60% from the field and 50% from 3-point range in a 91-76 victory over the New York Liberty.
Fudd’s six three-pointers were the most by any Wings rookie in a single game—a record previously held by 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers.
“I’m in a super incredible and rare situation whereas I’m on a team with some incredible vets. So to me, it doesn’t matter if I’m starting, if I’m coming off the bench, if I’m playing the whole game, if I’m playing just 10 minutes,” Fudd said. “I’m going to earn my time from what I do in practice.”
Wings head coach Jose Fernandez noticed Fudd’s increased production and decided to allow her to open the second half of the game on the floor.
Fudd repaid Fernandez’s confidence by scoring 17 points in the third quarter alone and making winning plays on the defensive end to give the Wings control of the game.
Will Fudd be a full-time starter moving forward?
“We’re headed in that direction,” Fernandez said. “I think it showed with her being on the floor and what she did. She started in the second half.”
The Wings’ next game is Thursday night against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at College Park Center.
On the Mavericks side of things, the organization announced on May 19 that it mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Jason Kidd.
Kidd had been the head coach in Dallas since June 28, 2021, and had a successful tenure that featured multiple postseason appearances—including a Western Conference finals berth in 2022 and an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Mavericks President Masai Ujiri said. “We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention. We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve.”
According to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, five names to watch in the Mavericks’ coaching search are Sean Sweeney, Micah Nori, Jon Scheyer, Tiago Splitter and Dawn Staley.
If Dallas truly wants a bold new direction, hire Staley and let’s get this party started.
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This article originally appeared on North Dallas Gazette and was syndicated by MediaFeed.co.
