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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Dallas Wings star Azzi Fudd earned an early place in WNBA history on Friday night, becoming the first-ever rookie to win the 3-Point Contest.
Fudd was just the fourth rookie ever to compete in the contest and set an incredible pace early on, hitting four of five on her first rack. She finished with four of five on the final rack, including the money ball. She finished with a first-round score of 24 points, which easily got her into the next round past contenders, including Toronto's Marina Mabrey, the favorite to win.
Like Fudd, the Portland Fire's Bridget Carleton also came out hot, achieving the top first-round score of 27. She and Fudd then competed against one another for the 2026 3-Point championship.
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In that final round, Fudd showed she came to compete by firing away and connecting. She finished by knocking down her final four shots, including the money ball, to finish with 30 points. That put the pressure on Carleton, who was unable to match the score in her attempt.
More news: Sophie Cunningham Calls out WNBA After Deleted Tweet on 3-Point Contest
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With that, Fudd received the trophy to add to her collection, which also includes a National Championship from UConn last year.
Fudd had many of her former and current teammates in the house supporting her during the event, including former UConn star and Wings teammate Paige Bueckers and her former Huskies teammate, Kaitlyn Chen.
Former UConn teammate Sarah Strong, who will take over as the team's top star next season, was also there, among others to cheer on Fudd.
Following Fudd catching fire during her final round of the 3-Point Contest, she got dowsed with water by several of her teammates to try to cool her down.
"When you're competitive, nothing will stop you," Fudd admitted to Holly Rowe about previously playing in a boot for a 3-point contest.
"Make all my shots," she told Rowe when asked about her simple strategy for the final round against Carleton.
She didn't make all of them, but definitely put on an impressive performance, showing that she's got plenty of room for growth and more historic achievements in the WNBA. Fudd is currently averaging 13.2 points, 1.9 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game for the Wings.
After coming off the bench earlier in her debut season, Fudd has joined the starting lineup alongside Bueckers. The Wings are 18-9 heading into the WNBA All-Star Game, which is fourth-best in the league. That's an incredible turnaround for a team that was near the bottom of the standings last season.
While Fudd hasn't isn't an All-Star yet, it would be surprising if the No. 1 pick doesn't become one in the future. She will be among the spectators on Saturday night, supporting teammates Bueckers and Jessica Shepard, who were named starters in this year's event.
More news: Caitlin Clark Makes More WNBA History in Fever Win Over Sun
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