ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings opened up their training camp on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the University of Texas at Arlington. All Wings players were in attendance except for Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, Awak Kuier, Costanza Verona, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, who were absent due to overseas commitments, according to Dallashoopjournal’s Grant Afseth.
After practice, reigning Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, spoke about the new additions to the Wings roster this offseason.
“Yeah, I’m super excited. We’ve got a lot of great pieces, like you said, through free agency, and we got Azzi through the draft, and now heading into training camp and preseason. It’s just been really fun to compete.
I think, similar to last year, there’s a lot of new, and we’re all learning together. Being able to grow and go through that process together, and communicate along the way, has been a lot of fun,” said Bueckers.
“We also have a lot of versatility in terms of our pieces—offensively and defensively. We’ve got shooting, aggressive mentalities, and a strong defensive presence. Jess Shepherd is one of the best playmakers in the league at the four position.
Bringing back Rik that core group and adding so many great pieces around it—it’s really exciting.”
Bueckers also spoke about what her new teammate, Azzi Fudd, brings to the Dallas Wings and impacts winning games.
“Obviously, we have a lot of experience going back to when we were about 16, playing together. I think I know her game really well, and she knows mine just as well. So to be back on this stage and living out the dreams we’ve talked about since we were freshmen in high school—it’s truly a dream come true from a basketball standpoint.”
“She impacts the game in so many different ways. Everyone talks about her shooting ability, but it’s also her ability to slash, to cut, and her IQ. Defensively, she disrupts a lot—she’ll take on the assignment of guarding the other team’s best offensive player. She has great hands, great length, and just a really high basketball IQ. She knows how to play the game the right way.
There’s really nothing she can’t do—her game has so many aspects to it, and it gives us a lot of versatility both offensively and defensively. And just having her on the floor, especially as a 40-plus percent three-point shooter, provides great spacing. Her presence alone is going to do a lot of great things for us.”
The Dallas Wings this season are looking to improve on last year’s 10-34 record and avoid the lottery, aiming to compete with the WNBA’s elite.
Wings’ new head coach Jose Fernandez will be navigating his first season in the WNBA and has already had to yell at Fudd about not passing on open shots.
“I had to yell at her and tell her, ‘Hey, you can’t be passing up open shots.’ Especially within some of the actions we’re running for her—when she’s open, she needs to shoot the ball. There’s no reason to give it up,” said Fernandez after practice.
“That’s really the one thing she can’t do—pass up open looks. Now, there are situations where the floor isn’t balanced, or there’s a better rebounding opportunity, and we’ll talk through those. But at the end of the day, she needs to do what she was brought here to do, which is space the floor.
Overall, though, she looked really good. She had a strong workout yesterday and a great player development session before practice. She was good.”
Of course, Fudd was asked about that interaction with coach Fernandez during her media availability and emphasized the importance of a team-first mindset.
“Seems to be a common trend. I don’t know, I want to share the love, but remembering to shoot when I’m open. My teammates remind me of that. It will be an easy adjustment.”
Fudd was later asked about balancing being a team player with seeking her own offense.
“If I’m passing up open shots, the defense can play off me,” Fudd said. “But if I’m a threat, they have to guard me and respect me, and it opens things up for other people. So when I look at it that way, instead of thinking I’m just taking a bunch of shots, it helps me keep that team mindset.”
The Wings also added Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith this offseason through free agency, and she spoke about wanting to expand her role in the Wings’ offense.
“I think it’s going to be a fun kind of change of roles. Something different for me which I look forward to. It’s going to be a challenge which I’m overly excited for at this point in my career.”
“There will be a higher usage without a doubt,” said Wings coach Fernandez. “I think she was attracted to what we talked about, how we are going to play, and how she was going to be utilized.”
She also spoke about continuing to be a teammate of Jessica Shepard, whom she played with on the Minnesota Lynx over the past two seasons.
“I think Jess is one of the most underrated players in the league. Just her IQ and the way she can play in space is unbelievable.”