Rookie Takeovers and Epic Collapses: Fudd’s Fireworks and a Dream Comeback

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Dallas Wings 91, New York Liberty 76

Azzi Fudd Spoils Ionescu’s Debut with a Third-Quarter Eruption

The marquee matchup at a sold-out Barclays Center was supposed to be a celebration of Sabrina Ionescu’s highly anticipated season debut following a preseason foot injury. Instead, Dallas Wings rookie and No. 1 overall draft pick Azzi Fudd completely hijacked the narrative, leading Dallas to an emphatic 91–76 road victory over the New York Liberty.

The game turned completely on its head during a scorching third-quarter stretch. With Dallas trailing by one at the half, Fudd went absolutely nuclear, scoring 17 of her career-high 24 points in the third quarter alone. She tied for the second-most points by a rookie in a single quarter in WNBA history, draining five consecutive three-pointers—including a ridiculous bank shot—to blow the game wide open

Fudd found plenty of support from an explosive backcourt:

Paige Bueckers matched Fudd with 24 points, snagged a season-high 6 rebounds, and iced the game with a perfect 8-of-8 performance from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
Arike Ogunbowale caught fire from deep as well, chipping in 19 points with 5 triples of her own.
Jessica Shepard orchestrated beautifully from the post, racking up a robust 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The Liberty (3-3) looked entirely disconnected on defense, failing to find answers for Dallas’ perimeter onslaught. While Satou Sabally fought hard for a team-high 20 points and Breanna Stewart notched a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, Ionescu was clearly shaking off some rust. She finished with 11 points and 7 assists, going completely scoreless in the second half.

Atlanta Dream 82, Phoenix Mercury 80

The 12-Point Meltdown: Atlanta Stuns Phoenix with Late-Game Surge

For 35 minutes, the Phoenix Mercury looked like they had successfully ironed out their defensive wrinkles. They held the Atlanta Dream to a dismal 13 points in the first quarter and built what felt like an insurmountable 12-point lead with just five minutes remaining in the fourth.

Then, the wheels completely fell off.

Led by the elite wing duo of Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, Atlanta executed a breathtaking 24–10 closing run to steal an 82–80 victory right out from under the Mercury’s noses. Phoenix stagnated offensively, settling for poor isolation looks while failing to contain Atlanta’s transition attack in the clutch.

“Those kind of endings sting, especially for a team trying to shake off a down week and get back into the win column,” a frustrated Phoenix camp noted post-game.

With the victory, the Dream soar to an impressive 4-1 on the season, while the Mercury drop their third consecutive game, falling into an early-season hole at 2-5.

Seattle Storm 97, Washington Mystics 85

Whistles, Youth, and the Arrival of Awa Fam in Seattle

In a chaotic, high-energy battle at Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Storm outlasted the Washington Mystics 97–85. The contest turned into an absolute grind of a free-throw shooting exhibition, featuring a staggering 75 total free throws, including 52 whistled in a heavily disrupted second half.

Natisha Hiedeman anchored Seattle’s offense, tying her career-high with 24 points and hitting a critical buzzer-beating floater to close the first half. Meanwhile, electric rookie Flau’jae Johnson had a season-best 17 points to go with 6 rebounds, but she shot just 4-14 from the field as her shooting efficiency continues to struggle.

The night also marked the highly anticipated WNBA debut of Awa Fam, the No. 3 overall draft pick. Just days after helping Valencia secure the Spanish League title, the 6-foot-4 center brought an immediate physical spark off the bench, logging 10 points in 20 minutes and flashing excellent pick-and-roll chemistry with Johnson

For Washington (2-3), the growing pains of being the second-youngest team in WNBA history were on full display. Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 16 points, while young standouts Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, and Angela Dugalic chipped in 13 points apiece. However, a stagnant half-court offense and a brutal 20% shooting performance from beyond the arc (4-of-20) left the young squad chasing double digits for nearly the entire second half.