Mac Engel: How the Wings' Azzi Fudd ignores the comparisons to ex-TCU star Olivia Miles

Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Sep 18, 2026

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ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Fernandez stumbled into revealing something with an innocent answer that explains why the Dallas Wings selected Azzi Fudd with the first pick in the WNBA draft, one slot ahead of a player who may be named MVP.

“She got picked No. 1 because I felt, and our organization felt, that she was going to be the best fit not only for our team but our franchise,” the Wings coach said Tuesday afternoon after practice.

Was going to be the best fit

The “fit” may be great, but as this season plays out, and now winds down, this is a decision that has the potential to become one of the “all-timers” in the history of this league, and fit the narrative that the Wings made this call because of Fudd’s friendship with teammate Paige Bueckers.

The Wings returned to their schedule on Thursday night in Arlington with a 97-77 rout of the Los Angeles Sparks.

How Fudd deals with the comparisons to Miles

On Tuesday after Wings practice, Fudd sounded upbeat in her first time talking to the media since she was put on the shelf for the season after knee surgery. She’s done the rehab thing on multiple occasions, and she knows the routine. She’ll get through it and be ready for training camp next year.

While the WNBA was on its World Cup break, Fudd went to New York City to participate in fashion week. At least on the surface, she doesn’t seem too bothered by much of anything, including what Miles is doing in Minnesota.

“Comparison is the thief of joy,” she said Tuesday, a line often used by Dallas Mavericks veteran point guard Kyrie Irving.

Some players are often distracted by these sorts of storylines, and it can be a distraction. It can also be a motivation. Some are good at ignoring it.

“Liv’ has had a fantastic season. She has played phenomenally, but I don’t get caught up in comparing myself,” Fudd said. “I just feel like, it’s like the social media thing, when you start to look outside yourself, there are so many distractions from the work you should be doing.

“She’s a great player. She’s having a great season, and I had a great season; it ended early. I leave that to you guys to debate and discuss.”

Not a problem. It’s certainly being discussed.

Miles is the Wings’ real ghost

The “compare and contrast” contest between Fudd’s rookie season and Miles is not great.

Fudd averaged 13.1 points, 1.7 steals, and lived up to her reputation as an excellent defender. She’s not some bum stealing money. She’s not a bust.

But Fudd last played on Aug. 5, when a right knee that has been a problem for her in the past was a problem again. She elected for season-ending arthroscopic surgery. She has suffered a torn ACL in that knee twice, in 2019 and 2023.

“I was definitely a little frustrated at first, but I’ve handled this one really well,” she said. “I’m in a great place mentally. ... I was doing everything I could do to take care of my body. It’s always a risk.”

On its own merits, Fudd had a good rookie year that had an unfortunate turn. It happens.

When you factor in what Miles is doing in Minnesota, Fudd’s first year makes it look like the Wings committed the mistake of drafting for “fit” rather than the best player available.

Miles is already one of the best players in the league. Heading into Friday she was averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. She can dribble around anyone, score and create easy shots for her teammates.

The only knock on her game is that she can still be a bit too careless with the ball; her 3.1 turnovers per game is one of the highest figures in the league, behind, among others, Caitlin Clark’s 4.6 per game.

Miles has a chance to win the league’s MVP award, and at worst will finish among the top four.

Miles’ Minnesota Lynx has the best record in the league and chances are good they will be the top seed in the WNBA playoffs, which start on Sept. 27. There is a realistic chance that Minnesota’s first-round matchup will be against the Wings.

Had the Wings picked her No. 1 overall, Miles’ stats would not look like this; she would be playing next to Bueckers, both of whom need to ball in their hands to flourish.

However, it’s impossible not to wonder about the damage these two could have done on the same team. Or, if you are a Wings fan, or employee, you tell yourself that duo would not have worked.

According to some TCU staffers, Miles could be “a lot,” which ... take that however you want. In Minnesota, Olivia Miles is killing it, while back in Dallas with the Wings, Azzi Fudd is a great fit.

Her coach said so.