Azzi Fudd Shines in WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest
During her debut in the WNBA All-Star weekend, Azzi Fudd from the Dallas Wings delivered an unforgettable performance. She made history by becoming the first rookie in league history to win the 3-point contest on Friday night.
In the first round, Fudd achieved a score of 30 points, falling only ten points short of a perfect score. Her remarkable shooting saw her take 27 attempts, missing only six shots and securing the prestigious title. Bridget Carleton from Portland Fire was eliminated after achieving a score of 19 in the same round.
Fudd shared that nerves played a part on Friday night. She remarked, “You saw ‘only’ six shots, but I feel like that was a lot. But honestly, I was really nervous. I was excited.”
Azzi Fudd of the Dallas Wings celebrates with her trophy after winning the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge STARRY 3-Point Contest at the All-Star event in Chicago, Illinois on July 24, 2026. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Fudd further expressed the ease she felt with the challenge, emphasizing that the set shot feels instinctive due to years of practice. She noted, “It’s fun to do because… and I don’t want to sound cocky… but it’s easy to me, just the set shot. Take the ball from the rack; it really is muscle memory. It’s what I’ve been doing since I was young.”
Up to the All-Star break, Fudd had been successful with 53 three-pointers in this season, averaging 2.2 shots from the 3-point line per game.
Sabrina Ionescu, a player from Liberty, commented on her absence from the 3-point contest, saying she ‘never officially got invited.’
Despite being affected by injuries during her college days, Fudd’s talent remained undeniable, leading Dallas to choose her as the first pick in the WNBA Draft of April. She acknowledged that overcoming injury challenges helped refine her shooting, especially highlighting the importance of stationary shooting drills during rehabilitation. She mentioned these exercises helped prepare her for the 3-point contest, saying, “That was a lot of chair shooting, a lot of stationary shots, so you get really good at shooting off of a rack and being stationary and robotic and having to knock your shot down.”
Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) expressing her emotions after winning the 3-point contest in Chicago.
Prior to the 3-point contest, the WNBA introduced a new event at the All-Star weekend: the Shooting Stars competition. This event replaced the former skills challenge and featured teams with three members, each consisting of a legend, a current player, and a rising young player. Team Washington triumphed over Team Seattle to win this inaugural contest.
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