Why Azzi Fudd's quiet WNBA debut is nothing to worry about

The Dallas Wings won their first game of the new WNBA season on Saturday, upsetting the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 107-104. You might not have guessed that from the biggest storyline coming out of the game: No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd managed just three points in 18 minutes on the floor.

Is it concerning that the top player in the WNBA Draft was a non-factor in her first game in the pros? If you ask social media, you might be convinced it is. But most of those opinions come readymade from people who already believed Fudd shouldn't have been the No. 1 overall pick. In a twisted way, the Wings did Fudd no favors by drafting her to play alongside her girlfriend Paige Bueckers. Haters have accused the UConn star of being taken only to appease the previous year's No. 1 pick. Her debut performance won't quiet any of those voices even if they're just as absurd now as they were yesterday.

Let's just get something out of the way quickly: Calling Fudd a bust or even a bust candidate one game into her WNBA career is wild. Hell, judging any player based on their first outing, terrible or tremendous, is shortsighted and silly. It's especially ridiculous when it comes to Fudd because it completely ignores all the context around Saturday's outing.

Azzi Fudd's debut performance is being unfairly judged

Fudd played 18 minutes and scored just three points on two attempts, both from distance. She added one rebound and one steal. I'm not going to claim it was an outstanding performance. It wasn't. Fudd wasn't aggressive enough. She looked reticent to create for herself when she got the ball. And she certainly didn't demand touches. None of that is surprising for a player in their first minutes as a pro. Fudd clearly needs time to build up some confidence and find her role on this team.

Azzi Fudd and the Wings are owed time to figure out her role

That role itself is tricky because the Wings already have a strong backcourt. Fudd came off the bench on Saturday in favor of the trio of Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims. Head coach Jose Fernandez was justified in that decision given how the three scored 20+ points each. Oh, and Dallas won the game on the Fever's home court.

Fernandez wasn't asking Fudd to go out there and score 20 points in her debut. He doesn't need her to do that with a lineup of strong options at guard. He's ready to ease her into the W, let her find her feet and figure out the best way to put all these puzzle pieces together. The end goal isn't to get Fudd a Rookie of the Year Award. It's to win something and you do that by integrating each player into the lineup in the way that best serves the team.

That's one of the biggest differences between Fudd and other top picks like Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, who were drafted by bad teams and expected to carry them from Day 1. There was a learning curve for both of those players too, but their task was more straightforward. For Fudd, it's more complex because she can't just step on the court as the focal point.

Azzi Fudd's value for the Wings goes beyond scoring

Here's the other problem: Fudd's value might not always show up on the box score. The Wings praised her as an unselfish player from the getgo with intangibles that focus on the team and winning above all else.

Fudd is renown for her basketball IQ. She understands spacing and how to open up opportunities for her teammates. All three starting guards being able to score 20 points could be a reflection of that. She's also a capable defender who can do the dirty work that won't get highlighted in a simple stats tweet.

Maybe if Fudd were a more selfish player, she'd have demanded more on Saturday, stuffing her stat sheet in a way more "befitting" a No. 1 pick. And maybe the Wings would have lost because of it. She wasn't out there jacking up bad shots and she didn't commit any personal fouls. She did the job the coach asked of her and the team won. Mission accomplished.

Obviously Dallas expects her to become more than what we saw in her first game. She has so much more to offer her team. It's also fair to give her the time to spread her, well, wings.

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