Azzi Fudd wins WNBA 3-point contest, becomes first rookie champion

Azzi Fudd Makes WNBA History as Rookie 3-Point Contest Champion

Explorehotelworld.com – During her inaugural WNBA All-Star weekend, Azzi Fudd delivered a performance that will be remembered for years to come. The Dallas Wings guard captured the 3-point contest on Friday evening, etching her name into the record books as the first rookie player ever to claim this prestigious title. Her victory came after a strong showing in the opening round, where she accumulated 30 points—falling just ten points short of the theoretical maximum score available to competitors.

Portland Fire’s Bridget Carleton ultimately could not match Fudd’s consistency and was eliminated from contention after posting 19 points in the same round. Fudd demonstrated remarkable accuracy throughout her attempts, taking 27 shots in total and missing only six of them on her path to securing the championship trophy. The precision she displayed under pressure highlighted why she was considered such a valuable prospect when selected in the draft.

Overcoming Nerves on the Big Stage

Despite her natural talent, Fudd admitted that competing in front of such a large audience brought its own set of challenges. “You saw ‘only’ six shots, but I feel like that was a lot,” she reflected afterward. “But honestly, I was really nervous. I was excited.” Her candid assessment revealed the emotional weight of the moment, even for a player with her level of skill and preparation.

“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.”

That muscle memory has been developing throughout her life, and it clearly served her well during the competition. Fudd’s ability to maintain composure and execute under pressure demonstrated the kind of mental toughness that often separates good players from great ones.

From College Injuries to Professional Success

While injuries had previously disrupted Fudd’s college basketball career, the Dallas organization recognized her potential and selected her with the first overall pick in April’s WNBA Draft. Those same injury setbacks, however, provided an unexpected advantage that proved valuable during the contest. The repetitive shooting exercises she performed during rehabilitation helped refine her technique and establish the rhythm necessary to consistently make shots from identical positions on Friday night.

“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.”

This connection between her recovery process and her current success illustrates how setbacks can sometimes become stepping stones to achievement. The stationary nature of the 3-point contest format aligned perfectly with the type of practice she had been doing during her rehabilitation period.

Statistical Highlights and Additional All-Star Events

Entering the All-Star break, Fudd was averaging 2.2 three-point attempts per game this season. Her total of 53 made three-pointers during her rookie campaign further underscores her offensive capabilities and shooting range. Her performance in the contest validated the confidence Dallas showed in selecting her as their top prospect.

Before the 3-point contest took center stage, the WNBA introduced a new All-Star event in Chicago—the Shooting Stars competition. This inaugural tournament replaced the traditional skills challenge and featured four teams of three players each. Every roster consisted of one legendary former player, one current active player, and one emerging young talent. Team Washington emerged victorious over Team Seattle in the opening edition of this exciting new format.

Meanwhile, Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu addressed her absence from the 3-point contest, noting that she had never officially received an invitation to participate. Her comments added another layer of interest to the weekend’s events and highlighted the growing attention surrounding young stars in the league.

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