A'ja Wilson Praises Azzi Fudd Ahead of Aces-Wings Showdown

The Las Vegas Aces bring championship swagger to Arlington, Texas on Thursday night, riding a 4-2 record into College Park Center to face a Dallas Wings squad sitting at 4-3 and hungry to protect its home floor. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CST, and with the standings still fluid early in the season, every game carries real weight.

Aces Arrive With Momentum — and a Point to Prove

Las Vegas has quietly been doing what Las Vegas does: winning. The reigning WNBA champions have already navigated a bumpy start and find themselves sitting comfortably above .500, with a 63.9% win probability heading into tonight's matchup according to current game projections.

This is a team that knows how to handle road environments, and a mid-sized college arena in Texas is not going to rattle them. The Aces' experience, depth, and offensive firepower make them the clear favorite on paper, but no game is played on paper in the WNBA.

Dallas Is Dangerous at Home — Don't Sleep on the Wings

At 4-3, Dallas has proven it can compete. The Wings recently took down the New York Liberty, which is about as strong a résumé win as you can add this early in the season. College Park Center has been a genuine home-court advantage for Dallas, and the Wings have the pieces to make Thursday night uncomfortable for any opponent.

While their defense has been a work in progress — they rank 11th in defensive rating at 106.9 this season, only a modest improvement from 12th last year — they have enough athleticism and transition offense to exploit lapses. The Aces would be wise not to overlook a team that just knocked off one of the East's best.

A'ja Wilson Sounds Off on Azzi Fudd's Seamless Rookie Transition

Before Thursday's game, A'ja Wilson spoke glowingly about rookie guard Azzi Fudd during morning shootaround, and her comments painted the picture of a young player exceeding expectations in real time.

"I mean, it was a smooth transition. I feel like she was someone that I always felt like was going to have a smooth transition because of her approach to the game. It's very professional-like already, even in college. I know we — I feel like in college I would always have slip-ups, but it felt like when it came to Azzi, she just was so steady-minded. Always, her mental is always so tough. So, her transition, it doesn't come by any surprise by me. I think she's doing a great job. I think it's obviously she's going to have her ups and downs that comes with being a rookie, but I think she's handling it really well," Wilson shared with LandonBuford.com.

High praise from a four-time MVP. If Fudd continues trending in the direction Wilson is describing, the Aces' backcourt is going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses for years to come.

Keys to the Game: Health, Matchups, and Interior Defense

The biggest storyline heading into tip-off centers on Dallas forward Alanna Smith, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Smith was listed as "probable" due to an undisclosed illness and did not practice Wednesday — a significant concern for a Wings team that signed her to a three-year, $3.7 million max deal specifically to anchor their defense and provide rim protection.

So far this season, Smith's numbers have been a steep drop from her 2025 campaign with Minnesota, averaging just 3.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks compared to her previous marks of 9.6 points and 1.9 blocks per game.

If Smith is limited or sits out entirely, Dallas will likely lean on Awak Kuier, Jessica Shepard, Maddy Siegrist, and Li Yueru to fill the void. None of those players are equipped to neutralize A'ja Wilson at full strength.