- 2 days ago
The #1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft Azzi Fudd and head coach Jose Fernandez joined the K&C Masterpiece to talk about the rigorous transition into a professional training camp, the defensive identity the team is building around their dynamic young core, and what the future holds for the Wings organization in Dallas!
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00:00We bring to you the number one pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, AZ Fudd, and of course, Dallas Wings
00:07head coach, and I'm learning, troublemaker, Jose Fernandez.
00:11Good morning. How are y'all this morning?
00:13I'm great. You guys are off to a great start here.
00:15So, did Coach, AZ, did Coach warn you about us leading into this, and did I really rock your world
00:22with the t-shirt question before we started our interview?
00:25He did warn me, but his warning did not prepare me for that question.
00:30Yeah, so what I asked AZ was the question that I've always wanted to ask important athletes along the way.
00:36Oh, you're doing this on air.
00:37Yeah, why not? Do you think if both of your arms were on the same side of your body, they
00:42would call it an F-shirt instead of a t-shirt?
00:45Because my contention is, without actually looking it up, it's a t-shirt because your arms kind of spread out
00:50like a T.
00:50That makes sense, right?
00:51It does make sense.
00:52See? Coach, why are you shaking your head?
00:56Because I don't know why people listen to this.
00:58Oh, man.
00:59I'm with you. I have said for a long time, I do not care.
01:02He has said that. He's like, it's not his favorite. It's not for him.
01:05Somehow we're number one. I don't understand.
01:07I know you guys are an acquired taste, that's for sure.
01:10Which you have not acquired yet.
01:12But he's coming around. He's coming around.
01:14You guys are growing on me.
01:16Okay, good. Okay, good.
01:17Good. Now, one of the things that you had said on Fud Around and Find Out that I thought was
01:23really funny is when y'all were going through one of the practices, Paige zipped a pass to you.
01:27And you're like, kind of jokingly, oh, I forgot how good you could pass.
01:30Do you feel like that kind of hurt her feelings just a little bit?
01:33No, nothing can hurt her feelings. Are you kidding me?
01:35I can definitely see that.
01:37Is that as tough as it gets then, yeah?
01:39Oh, yeah. She's tough, right?
01:40Oh, yeah, for sure.
01:41Now, Coach, you had said that these practices obviously would be quick, they would be intense, and they would be
01:48a quick kind of learning ground, not just for AZ, but for all of the players.
01:51How have you thought practices have gone so far?
01:55What do you think, AZ? How do you think they've gone so far?
01:57That is good.
01:58You said practice was going to be quick?
02:00I know, but trust me, the rumor spread around the league on how hard we went the first two days.
02:07So, it was a crazy college guy coming to the W.
02:11And my definition, apparently, of a walkthrough yesterday was different than our strength and conditioning and medical staff.
02:18So, I'm adjusting. I'm learning.
02:20All right. But does that feel like a positive thing, then, AZ?
02:23Like, hey, we want to win, and we've got to work at a certain level.
02:27Oh, 100%.
02:28I mean, you're talking to someone who has nothing to compare it to.
02:32So, I thought practice has been incredible.
02:35Kind of what I expected and more with the intensity, the learning, the level of play from everyone, from the
02:41coaching staff, from the support staff.
02:43I really couldn't ask for anything more.
02:46Coach, with the quick turnaround between, you know, free agency, some of the trades you all made, and the draft,
02:52I know practice is always important, but how much does that kind of heighten the importance of these practices,
02:56since, man, it is a small window between that and when it's time to play.
03:01It's a huge window, and it was a huge window for her as well.
03:06Do you remember being in Phoenix just a short time ago?
03:09And then, the draft, and coming to Dallas, we had to go through expansion, free agency, and now, and the
03:19collegiate draft, really,
03:22and that's what I spoke to all the players about, we have 15 practices in 20 days to get ready
03:30for May 9th at Indiana,
03:32and within those 20 days, outside of the 15 practices, two exhibition games.
03:37So, the amount of things that we need to get in, in a short amount of time, is a lot
03:43different.
03:45Where, I'm sure, as you'll tell you, in college, it's a lot different on the things that you do in
03:52the summer,
03:52leading into pre-season in college.
03:55You have 30 practices in 42 days.
03:58But the amount of stuff that you do with your position coaches, with film, with film, with your team.
04:04So, it's different, definitely different now, because we also, she's coming from, she just played a whole collegiate season,
04:11and we're about to play two exhibition games, 44 games, and then the playoffs.
04:16So, it's going to be a long year, and it's something that, you know, I will adjust to, and she
04:22will as well.
04:23You know, one of the things that we talked about with you whenever you were in studio with this last
04:27was getting the defense up,
04:29and, you know, that last year was kind of, hey, we've known the Wings can score,
04:33but the defensive side of it's going to be a big thing, adding AZ to this thing,
04:37and knowing that she's a good defensive player, an outstanding defensive player to add to that.
04:42Like, how much does that help?
04:43But then also, AZ, can you kind of talk a little bit about what the mindset of a defensive player
04:48is,
04:48and the study that goes into that, too?
04:51Yeah, for me, I think defense is mostly just competitive.
04:54It's who wants it more.
04:56It's all effort, and as I'm learning, it's not actually all effort, just a lot of details.
05:01I mean, I knew that before, but this, like, the transition, I didn't realize defense in the league was going
05:05to be so different either.
05:07So, that's definitely been a point of emphasis for us, transition defense, half-court defense, our help side defense,
05:12just positioning.
05:14And, I mean, again, I don't have much to compare it to, but I think we're doing a good job.
05:17Yeah, we have a lot more to learn and to work on, ways to go, but I think this is
05:21a really good start for us.
05:22Does it, I mean, then being, saying not, I don't have a lot to compare it to,
05:26do you kind of feel like you get to cultivate and grow it a little bit on your own as
05:29you go along?
05:30Oh, 100%.
05:31I think that's why I'm so excited for this year.
05:34It's just, I have so much to learn.
05:35I mean, with the coaching staff, with my players, like, learning how to play with them,
05:39learning what coach wants, expects from me, our offenses, style of play, but then just concepts.
05:44Like, I have so much to learn, and I'm so excited to grow.
05:48Now, your coach, his scouting report, when you got drafted, was that you could shoot the S out of the
05:54basketball.
05:54How much do you like that scouting report right there?
05:57I love that scouting report.
05:57Oh, I get my research, coach.
05:59I love that.
06:01Is that your favorite go-to curse word?
06:06One of them.
06:06I was going to say, I actually haven't heard that word yet.
06:09I've heard others, but not that one.
06:10Oh, okay.
06:11All right.
06:12I like it.
06:13He's saving that in his arsenal, you know, for later on.
06:15Corey, would you like to recklessly speculate as to what those other words are?
06:19Darn it, and shoot, and stuff like that.
06:22Okay.
06:22I think, yeah.
06:23Those are the ones.
06:24Probably a lot of those in practice getting thrown out there.
06:26Different first letters.
06:29A really cool thing has been happening in the league, and we've seen it here with the Wings selling out
06:35season tickets for a third straight year.
06:37How exciting is that for both of y'all to be in an organization that you can clearly see the
06:43buzz building despite a couple of really tough back-to-back seasons?
06:48Well, there's so much positive momentum for this organization with the practice facility that moved to downtown next year, playing
06:56in American Airlines.
06:59So, I think with a new coach coming in, draft pick, Paige, one of the faces of the league, Enrique,
07:09who's been here her entire career and has been an all-star, right?
07:16And what we did in free agency, there's no surprise that our home games are sold out.
07:24We want to play in front of an incredible crowd and have the energy where this has to be a
07:31tough place to play at home.
07:32It has to be where people don't want to go into Dallas and go on the road to play us
07:37here.
07:39So, there's no surprise.
07:40I said, hey, need a bigger building.
07:42But, I think this venue will be an excellent home court advantage.
07:50How important is that home court advantage?
07:51Obviously, both you and Paige come from a place where it gets bananas for y'all's home game.
07:57How big of a mental difference is that when the team faces that kind of opposing fan base?
08:04I mean, honestly, we love it.
08:06I think anyone who loves to compete and play at the highest level loves any type of atmosphere,
08:11whether it's your home environment where people are cheering for you.
08:13But just to hear that buzz, to hear that whether it's cheering for you or the booing against you,
08:17it definitely brings, it gives you that extra little...
08:19Do you like the booing against you a little bit more?
08:21Does that jazz you up some?
08:23Honestly, I haven't had much experience with it.
08:25At UConn, I feel like most of our away games even felt like home games.
08:28There was a couple, like Tennessee.
08:30Tennessee, what was it?
08:31I'd say Tennessee.
08:32I didn't get to go to the Texas game, but I heard that one was crazy.
08:36I could probably count on my fingers the amount of times where it truly felt like an away game.
08:40So I'm excited to experience that as well.
08:41And so, Kevin, you're not a big UConn fan, so because of personal experience...
08:46Yes, there's a whole lot to unpack behind that.
08:49But he's also a dude guy, so...
08:49It's possible a girl broke my heart that went to UConn.
08:51That's a whole ding thing.
08:52I didn't want to...
08:53That's not really your baggage that you have to deal with.
08:55Yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:56You're still carrying that baggage, I see.
08:58Yeah, okay.
08:58That's one of my number one personality faults, Coach.
09:01I did...
09:02I'm kind of curious when it comes to labels.
09:05We often bring up, like, Cooper...
09:07This is Cooper Flagg's team.
09:08This is Dak's team.
09:09This is, you know...
09:10Is it Paige's team?
09:12And I'm kind of curious on y'all's philosophy on how that works.
09:15And I know it's a team.
09:16It's supposed to be that way.
09:18There is a kind of a perspective that we've got to look to somebody.
09:21And I'm curious on how both of y'all perceive that.
09:26Well, yeah.
09:27When I took the job and the conversations I had with Paige,
09:32I think it's everyone's team.
09:34I think when this team, to be successful,
09:37it's not about you.
09:39It's about us.
09:42But, yeah, Paige has to be an extension of me.
09:45But once we get further into the year,
09:50like I said, it will not be a coach-led team anymore.
09:52It'll be a player-led team.
09:55And, yeah.
09:56People should listen to Paige.
09:58Paige, one of the best players in the world.
10:00So she also, when she speaks, people listen,
10:04because she does everything right.
10:07And I think when you do things right,
10:12and your actions speak louder than words,
10:15so when your words do come out,
10:18you already have that respect because of how you carry yourself.
10:21And, Aze, in your experience with her,
10:24how she does that and how she gets people to respond in that way,
10:28what is that?
10:29What is it that teammates like about that?
10:32Well, I think he said it best.
10:34She's one of the best players in the world.
10:35She does everything the right way.
10:37She's got one of the biggest work ethics, you'll see.
10:40And so, you know, it's kind of like that thing,
10:43like you can't be a leader unless you can look at yourself in the mirror
10:47and make sure you're holding yourself accountable first,
10:48and she does that every single day.
10:51And she's someone that wants to make everyone around her better.
10:54So when she talks, everyone listens.
10:56And I think something I've noticed this week is that's also a little bit different
11:00is just coach also gives, like whether we're doing a drill,
11:04going through stuff at the end of practice,
11:05he always asks the vets, like, do you guys have anything to add?
11:08And all the coaches have done that.
11:09And I think that's incredible.
11:10Like, I'm playing with people who have so much more experience.
11:12And so being able to hear him talk, Paige's voice, AC, Odyssey, everyone,
11:18no matter where it is throughout practice,
11:19but everyone just to give their input.
11:21Like, there's so much learning to be done.
11:23And so being able to hear everyone's voice
11:25and have everyone just have that level of respect for others is also incredible.
11:29But if Paige was like, all right, I think we need to run more after practice,
11:32would you all be like, okay, let's do it?
11:34Or would you all, you know, be like, oh, okay, I don't know about that?
11:37If she were to say that, there would be a reason.
11:39So then, like, yeah.
11:40If Paige was saying we need to run more, I don't know what the reason would be,
11:44but then we would need to run more.
11:46We'd kill that baseline.
11:46We talked about the quick turnaround.
11:49One thing I know athletes, people in this profession,
11:52maybe don't always get to take the time to, like,
11:54enjoy the things that they've accomplished.
11:56Did you carve out a little bit of time to enjoy, like,
11:59hey, I was the number one pick in the WNBA draft.
12:01That's pretty awesome.
12:02Or were you almost immediately, like, time to go back to work?
12:05I would say I took a little bit of time.
12:07Obviously, I took that night to enjoy.
12:10And then the next day to recover from that night enjoying.
12:15But it definitely is a quick turnaround.
12:17And as much as I got to enjoy it, I, like,
12:19am so excited to be here and be present and get,
12:23to have gotten to work right away.
12:25What were those, because you talked about it that night,
12:28and obviously you talked a lot about your family.
12:31So what were those emotions like for people who maybe missed the draft?
12:35And what all did you do to enjoy that night?
12:38So I had a party, and I said before my family was at the draft,
12:42I had so many family, friends, former teammates, like from high school.
12:46That was really cool on the TV broadcast.
12:48Yeah, that was awesome.
12:49But just, like, from high school, even some teammates from middle school,
12:52to have everyone there because I didn't get here by myself.
12:55I wasn't, you know, I didn't become who I am
12:57without all these people around me to support me.
12:58To show me how to be a great player, a great person.
13:01So to be able to share that moment with everyone
13:03because they made it possible was super special to me.
13:06All right.
13:07Can you see why Coach gets a little nervous when we interview the players?
13:11He didn't love that follow-up question about how did you party.
13:14Kevin has this story of his life when, I think he was in, like, the second grade
13:18where he had a wide-open breakaway, and he was getting ready to go up for the layup,
13:22and he missed the shot in front of the girl that he liked.
13:24Is this the UConn girl?
13:25No, it's not.
13:28You know what?
13:29I don't even want to ask a question now because she delivered that so perfectly.
13:32So I'm going to go on to the next one.
13:33We do a segment called My Buddy's an Idiot sometimes.
13:36I feel like I'm losing that segment right now.
13:38No, it's all right, dude.
13:39You're doing great.
13:40And so we just kind of find people to do some crazy things.
13:44Recently, I emceed an event that had a fashion show going on in front of me, and it was Nancy
13:50Volpe-Berringer.
13:51She was from Project Runway.
13:52She was the one that designed everything.
13:54And first off, what's a sports guy doing up there?
13:56But it was for a disabilities community that I'm closely attached to.
13:59At the end of it, she said that she was going to donate the runway if they could raise a
14:03certain
14:03amount of money.
14:04And I'm sitting there going, everybody is going to be able to get a piece of this floor.
14:08That is amazing.
14:10And so I was just sitting there.
14:11See, she knows, Kevin.
14:12She knows.
14:13She looked up to the sky, and you could just feel like, are you kidding me?
14:17I'm not going to lie.
14:19That is exactly what I thought, too.
14:20I thought you got like a piece of, almost like your court, you know?
14:24I thought you got a piece of it.
14:25She thinks we're ridiculous.
14:26Coach, here we are.
14:28You're probably thinking the same thing.
14:29Everybody was going to get a piece of this runway, and she was going to donate it.
14:33Are we idiots, Azzy, for not knowing what the runway was?
14:38Yes.
14:40Can you explain what the runway is?
14:42I'm pretty sure she meant her clothes.
14:44Yes, she did.
14:46She did.
14:47But like you said, you're not a part of the fashion world, and I think you guys can have
14:52a pass, but if that happens again.
14:54Okay, all right.
14:54We're trying to learn and trying to get better, right?
14:57She's setting you up for success.
14:59Yeah, look at that.
15:00She gave us an opportunity, and I appreciate that, Kevin.
15:02Much like with your practices, we're just trying to get a little better every single day.
15:05Exactly, every day.
15:05She's doing a little bit better every single day.
15:07The fact that she did just immediately, she was like, these guys.
15:10I know.
15:10That's why when you were asking, I was staring right at her, because I was like, I'll be
15:14able to tell straight away.
15:15Didn't need to be staring, because you could see her look right up.
15:17Like, are you freaking kidding me?
15:19Yeah, it's okay.
15:20We'll learn.
15:20I'm trying to learn more about fashion.
15:22My daughter's trying to teach me.
15:23She's got a lot of work.
15:24Yeah.
15:25A lot of work to go.
15:28So what I really want to know for both of you guys is I know this challenge is getting
15:32less and less, but still, there's work to be done on some casual fans about getting
15:37into the WNBA or getting into the Wings.
15:39What would you tell people who are listening right now who maybe have never even been to
15:44a Wings home game, why they should come check it out?
15:49So, I mean, when you guys are talking about tickets are already sold out, it's going to
15:53be an incredible atmosphere.
15:54We're going to give people great games to watch.
15:57We're going to compete.
15:58We're going to play great defense.
15:59We're going to score.
16:00Our offense is going to be hopping.
16:02So, I think the product is there, and people just got to believe in us and take a chance.
16:07Coach, you know I'm going to make you answer the question, too.
16:09You want me to follow up that?
16:10Yes.
16:11That wasn't good enough?
16:11I do, because you need to get embarrassed.
16:13We just got embarrassed.
16:14I'm just saying it's an exciting time to be a Wings fan.
16:19I think our fans are really going to enjoy the pace, the energy, the effort, the communication,
16:24the joy for the game that our players will have, and they're going to be an unbelievable
16:28representative of this city and the state.
16:32Do you already have an idea of what the brand of basketball is going to be, and they're going
16:37to fit into it, or is it more of you're going to figure all of them out, and then eventually
16:43that will grow from there?
16:44Well, I had a pretty good idea when we constructed this team and who we drafted, right?
16:49So, and why I wanted to coach her.
16:53So, that was very, very important, but again, and I've told her this, and the same with Paige
16:58and communication with everybody on here.
17:01I'm not going to put them in uncomfortable situations offensively or on the floor that
17:05they don't feel comfortable in, right?
17:07So, again, with some of the actions that we'll run, it's that feedback that you have with
17:16your players, because ultimately it's the most important for them to be successful or
17:22our team will be successful.
17:23And then, AZ, last question I have for you.
17:25We were both born and raised in Dallas.
17:28Do you have any Dallas-based questions that we can help you out with?
17:31Yeah, we can help with a lot of things.
17:34Just what are some things I need to see?
17:35I've heard the stockyards.
17:36I've gotten a long list of restaurants and food recommendations, but, like, what are
17:41activities that I need to do while I'm here?
17:43The Dallas World Aquarium, and it is downtown.
17:48It's super great.
17:49It almost has, like, some elements of a zoo, but it's all enclosed inside, and the aquarium
17:55is tremendous.
17:56It is super fun.
17:57It's a family activity.
17:59I would highly recommend the Dallas World Aquarium.
18:01I was thinking about getting married at the aquarium, but when we were there, a walrus swam
18:05by and went to the restroom, and so we said, maybe not, is what my wife and I decided.
18:10Well, it kind of feels like that undercut my point.
18:12But it's so cool.
18:13No, it's amazing.
18:13It's an awesome thing to see.
18:15Check that out for sure.
18:16Wait, I have another question.
18:17What are with all the horses around here?
18:19Okay, listen.
18:20That's how we get to and from places.
18:22How are you getting back and forth?
18:23Not like horses, but, like, the mascot outside my hotel in Dallas was, like, another horse with
18:28wings or something.
18:29Oh, the Pegasus.
18:30The Pegasus, yes.
18:31My wife works in the Pegasus building, as a matter of fact.
18:34Yeah.
18:35It was down in downtown Dallas for a long time on top of one of the buildings, and it's
18:40just kind of been a symbol of the area for a long time.
18:42I need to get a little more history on it.
18:44I think it started with a corporate sponsorship.
18:46There you go.
18:46Yeah.
18:46Okay.
18:46Yeah, it was a corporate thing.
18:47Doesn't everything, right?
18:49Doesn't everything.
18:50Yeah.
18:50And then, Coach, last thing for you.
18:52How much more do you like us now than after the first time we interviewed you?
18:56Like I said, you guys are growing on me.
18:59There you go.
18:59I'm still thinking about that walrus joke he just said.
19:04Maybe the walrus did that after listening to you guys.
19:07Oh, man.
19:10Holy smokes.
19:11And if you weren't smiling right now, Coach.
19:13Well, there you go.
19:16AC Fun and nemesis to the KNC masterpiece, Jose Fernandez.
19:21Thank you guys very, very much for the time.
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