Azzi Fudd Wins WNBA 3-Point Contest as Rookie
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- Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 draft pick and Dallas Wings rookie, became the first rookie to win the WNBA 3-point contest, scoring 30 in the final after swishing all five shots on the first rack.
- Jezelle "GG" Banks, a prep player ranked No. 4 on ESPN's SportsCenter Next 100 for the class of 2027, led Team Washington to the Kia WNBA Shooting Stars title with two 4-point halfcourt shots in a 31-point final round.
- Elena Delle Donne, the two-time WNBA MVP who came out of retirement to serve as Team Washington's legend, teased a potential comeback after Friday's win, telling ESPN she was open to returning.
- Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo entered as the WNBA's 3-point leader with 82 made threes this season but finished with just 18 points, missing her first rack in the contest.
- Bridget Carleton was the hottest shooter in the 3-point contest's opening round with a score of 27 for the expansion Portland Fire, but managed only 19 in the final behind Fudd.
- Lauren Jackson, the Hall of Famer whose last WNBA season was 2012, flew from Australia with her son to compete on Team Seattle and said she doesn't really play basketball anymore because she needs a knee replacement.
- The Shooting Stars competition debuted at WNBA All-Star Weekend this year as a three-person team event with 70 seconds to score from seven spots, capped by a 4-point halfcourt shot.
Why it matters: Fudd's win gives Dallas a confidence lift heading into the season's second half — she called it "a little extra boost" — and cements her as the early face of the league's young guard class. The new Shooting Stars format also put prep players on a national stage, with two of the four teen competitors (Banks, Morghan Reckley) ranked in ESPN's Next 100.
