Azzi Fudd to Miss the Rest of Her Rookie Season Due to Knee Operation

August 20, 2026 Abbie Thompson

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 31: Azzi Fudd #35 of the Dallas Wings warms up before the game against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

The Dallas Wings guard is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on her right knee early next week.

First overall WNBA draft pick Azzi Fudd will miss the rest of the Dallas Wings season after undergoing an arthroscopic surgery on her right knee. The Wings announced on Wednesday that the surgery will address ongoing soreness in the right knee and is scheduled for early next week in Connecticut.

The guard has sat out for the last five games after experiencing soreness in the knee on the Wings game against the Valkyries on August 7.

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A post shared by Fudd Around and Find Out (@fuddaroundpod)

“I’ve got a small procedure coming up on my knee, and I’ll be out as I recover,” Fudd shared on social media. “I know exactly what comes next: rehab, put in the work, come back ready and better than before.”

Fudd is no stranger to injuries regarding her right knee. Fudd first torn her ACL and ACL in 2019, undergoing multiple surgeries at the time. In college, she again tore her right ACL, missing the bulk of her 2023-2024 season. Fudd also missed much of the 2022-2023 season due to unspecified knee injuries.

Azzi Fudd in her first 30 career games:

— More points than Maya Moore
— More threes than Diana Taurasi
— More steals + blocks than A'ja Wilson
— Higher FG% than Breanna Stewart
— Higher 3PT% than Kelsey Mitchell
— More wins than Candace Parker pic.twitter.com/GMjR4ada1e
— Real App (@realapp) August 19, 2026

While it is heartbreaking that Fudd’s rookie season will be cut this short, she still made quite the impact—still leading the rookies in three-pointers and steals after not playing for two weeks. Without her the Wings have gone 1-5 compared to their 19-11 record with her on the court.