Dallas Wings head coach Jose Fernandez is expecting greatness from top pick Azzi Fudd. After a shaky start to training camp, in which Fernandez "had to yell" at Fudd for passing up open shots, she had put the 54-year-old's mind at ease by day four.

In an X post by Azzi Fudd Report on April 23, Fernandez praised the 23-year-old for the consistency she has shown during the initial training days. He expressed his excitement to coach her in the upcoming season.

"Expect big things from her, and she’s been great four days in, coachable, does the right things. Invests in her body, takes care of her body. She’s in here early, she’s embraced the playbook, I’m looking forward to coaching her."

The Dallas Wings drafted Fudd as the No.1 overall pick out of the UConn Huskies. She reunites with former Husky Paige Bueckers, who also won the Rookie of the Year honors last season.

Fudd arrived in the WNBA with all the hype after finishing her final collegiate season on a high note. She averaged 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 44.7% from beyond the arc.

The last stat stands out as the Wings were one of the worst shooting teams from both the three-point line and the field last season, so Fudd's inclusion would be a relief for Fernandez.

While the UConn star was unable to cap off her NCAA career with a championship, Fernandez’s latest comments suggest that she has carried the momentum from her final college season into training camp, impressing the Dallas Wings organization.

Fudd herself opened up on her initial days of being a Dallas player, also crediting Bueckers' rookie season as a vantage point.

Azzi Fudd Adjusts to the WNBA

Fudd's arrival at the Dallas Wings was no less than a celebration. Many of her teammates attended her first press conference at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas in pink to take part in the franchise's welcome theme.

"I felt so welcome. There's no better way than having familiar faces and new teammates here." Fudd told the Dallas Hoops Journal.

She also pointed out how watching Bueckers' initial season in Dallas gave her some points to take into account for her own rookie season.

"The W is a different game than college. Seeing her, she had the ball in her hands a lot more, a lot of pick-and-rolls. The physicality and the pace, those are all adjustments."

Fudd also added that her mindset will not differ from her time with the Geno Auriemma-led Huskies' 2025 championship run.

"It's a long season. Even in college, how you start the season doesn't really matter, it's how you finish. As long as we're getting better as individuals and as a team, that's a win."

What are your thoughts on Azzi Fudd's initial comments as a Dallas Wings player? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Surjo Roy