Wings’ Azzi Fudd makes history by winning WNBA 3-point contest, challenges Steph Curry to ‘one more contest’
Azzi Fudd became the first player to win the WNBA All-Star three-point shooting contest with a stunning 30-point performance in the final round of Friday’s contest. Fudd, No. 1 overall draft pick by the Dallas Wings, was the fourth rookie to compete in the event since its inception in 2006.
“It’s amazing,” Fudd said after making history. “First of all, it’s just an honor to be invited to do it and compete against some of the best shooters in the league. It’s an honor to win again.”
It seemed like the future of the former UConn standout, the former high schooler faced NBA star Stephen Curry in a 3-point shooting contest at his basketball camp. Fudd didn’t win that one, but he was feeling confident after Friday’s win and publicly challenged him to play again.
“Steph, if you’re listening, I’ve been asking for a repeat since high school, maybe this is our time to start finding time and space,” Fudd said.
Her 24 points in the first round helped Fudd advance to the title round against Portland Fire forward Bridget Carleton, who punched her ticket with 29 points. Marina “Money” Mabrey, one of the favorites to win it all, was eliminated in the first round with only 18 points. Before Fudd, Rhyne Howard — who also took part Friday — was the only player ever to reach the final round (2022).
Carleton looked strong in the first round, but Fudd showed no signs of discomfort and remained focused on the trophy. He began his final round by making every shot on the first rack and went on to attempt 20 of 26 shots. Meanwhile, Carleton missed its first three shots. Couldn’t recover from that slump and finished with 19 points.
“I’m just focused,” Fudd said during a courtside interview after the win. “This is what you do every day as a basketball player.”
Many of Fudd’s former and current UConn and Dallas teammates, including Paige Bueckers, witnessed the historic moment from the sidelines. They helped him to enjoy the victory by pouring water on him. While jokingly complaining about her hair, Fudd said it meant “everything” to have her friends and family there.
“I was scared. It was the first time,” said her father, Tim Fudd, as he waited to take pictures with her. “I usually trust the work… It’s amazing. Everything is amazing. This is surreal, but this is his characteristic so I’m glad to see it. I told him before he left the hotel, ‘just lock it.’
Last year, Sabrina Ionescu also won the title with 30 points. However, her 37-point performance in 2023 is still a WNBA and NBA All-Star record.
First round scores
- Bridget Carleton (Portland Fire) — 29 points
- Azzi Fudd (Dallas Wings) — 24 points
- Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream) — 20 points
- Janelle Salaun (Golden State Valkyries) 19 points
- Marina Mabrey (Toronto Tempo) — 18 points
- Natisha Hiedeman (Seattle Storm) — 17 points
Steph up next?
At the age of 15 in 2018, Fudd became one of the first women ever invited to Stephen Curry’s SC30 Select Camp. After winning the camp’s three-point contest, he got the chance to go head-to-head with Curry himself.
“Real nervous but also exciting because it was so much fun to be in that camp, to be one of the first two girls there,” Fudd recounted. “Also, shooting against the guys, it’s always a little bit more when you win against the guys. So it was a lot of fun. Shooting against Steph was a lot of fun.”
Curry ended up winning their battle 20-16, but as he said on Friday, Fudd is ready to take his title.
Technically, Fudd already found him last year at Curry Camp in China when he and his brother Seth toured with Under Armour. Fudd beat them both while making four of five 3-pointers. Stefanu did three and Sethi did two.
GG Banks takes on Washington in the Shooting Stars tournament
On Wednesday it was four The Shooting Stars contest is the first in WNBA All-Star history and four teams made up of three generations of female basketball players. Each list featured a retired WNBA player, a current WNBA player and a high school player from the Nike EYBL.
Jezelle “GG” Banks, one of the top players in the class of 2027, lifted Washington’s team to victory in the first round. WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne helped teammate Banks and Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin advance to the tournament with impressive performances in the first round. However, he joked that his stamina is not what it used to be because he couldn’t keep up the intensity.
Even after Teresa Weatherspoon — the team’s official passer — started with a four-second foul, Team Seattle made it difficult for Washington by 24 points in their final drive. Washington got to within four points needing just one bucket to win, but the shot at first was not falling from Spot 7. Banks stayed calm and eventually hit the game-winning shot, then another before the clock ran out.
“I got a champion and a legend on my team. They put their trust in me,” Banks said after the win. “I felt like I could do anything with them.”
Coincidentally, Delle Donne attended Ursuline Academy in Delaware, the same high school Banks currently attends.
