Jose Fernandez Challenges Azzi Fudd to Shoot More on Day 1 of Wings Training Camp

Dallas Wings coach pushes No. 1 overall pick to be more aggressive and take open shots to improve team's spacing and three-point efficiency.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:51pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball practice scene, with players' bodies and the court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a bold color palette, conveying the energy and intensity of the coaching moment.Fernandez's directive to Fudd reflects the need for the Wings' young stars to embrace a more aggressive, shoot-first mentality to unlock the team's full offensive potential.Arlington Today

On the first day of Dallas Wings training camp, head coach Jose Fernandez had to yell at No. 1 overall draft pick Azzi Fudd to 'shoot the damn ball' when she was passing up open shots in team drills. Fernandez wants Fudd, a 42% career three-point shooter at UConn, to be more aggressive in looking for her shot in order to space the floor and open up driving lanes for teammates like Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. Fudd acknowledged it's a common theme she's heard throughout her career, but said she's ready to make the adjustment to a more shoot-first mentality to benefit the team.

Why it matters

The Dallas Wings finished last season ranked 12th in the WNBA in three-point percentage at just 30.4%, so adding a high-volume, high-efficiency three-point shooter like Fudd is a key part of their offseason retool. Fernandez is pushing Fudd to be more selfish with her shot-taking in order to force defenses to respect her and create more open driving and passing lanes for the rest of the Wings' talented offensive players.

The details

In the opening session of Dallas Wings training camp, head coach Jose Fernandez had to yell at No. 1 overall draft pick Azzi Fudd to 'shoot the damn ball' when she was passing up open shots in team drills. Fernandez wants Fudd, who shot 44.7% from three on 6.7 attempts per game as a senior at UConn, to be more aggressive in looking for her shot in order to space the floor and open up driving lanes for teammates like Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. Fudd acknowledged it's a common theme she's heard throughout her career, but said she's ready to make the adjustment to a more shoot-first mentality to benefit the team.

  • On the first day of Dallas Wings training camp on April 19, 2026, Fernandez had to yell at Fudd about passing up open shots.

The players

Jose Fernandez

The head coach of the Dallas Wings who is pushing Azzi Fudd to be more aggressive in looking for her shot.

Azzi Fudd

The No. 1 overall draft pick of the Dallas Wings, who is a 42% career three-point shooter from her time at UConn.

Paige Bueckers

Fudd's former UConn teammate who is now her backcourt partner on the Dallas Wings.

Arike Ogunbowale

A talented offensive player for the Dallas Wings who will benefit from Fudd's improved floor spacing.

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What they’re saying

“I had to yell at her and tell her, 'Don't pass up open shots.' Especially in some of the actions we're going to run for her, she better shoot the damn ball if she's open.”

— Jose Fernandez, Dallas Wings Head Coach

“That seems to be a common trend. I share the love, but remembering to shoot when I'm open, my teammates remind me of that. It'll be an easy adjustment.”

— Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings Rookie

“She's a 40-plus percent three-point shooter, so her spacing alone helps us. She brings versatility and makes a big impact on both ends.”

— Paige Bueckers

What’s next

The Dallas Wings will continue training camp over the next few weeks as they prepare for the start of the 2026 WNBA season. Coaches will be closely monitoring Azzi Fudd's willingness to be more aggressive in looking for her shot and how that impacts the team's overall offensive spacing and efficiency.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenge of transitioning from the college game to the professional level, where players like Azzi Fudd need to be more selfish with their shot-taking in order to maximize their impact and benefit the team. Fernandez is pushing Fudd to break old habits and embrace a 'shoot-first' mentality, which will be crucial for the Dallas Wings to improve their three-point shooting and overall offensive firepower this season.