Lift Off

The Dallas Wings look like the most improved team in the WNBA, and it is not hard to see why. This roster now makes far more sense from top to bottom. It has more shooting, more frontcourt stability, more defensive ability, and one of the most exciting guard combinations in the league.

Drafting Azzi Fudd gives Dallas a backcourt that can be downright terrifying. Pairing Fudd with Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale creates a three-guard setup with skill, shot-making, and star power that no other team can match. Paige brings control, efficiency, and poise. Arike remains one of the toughest covers in the game and can get hot in a hurry. Fudd now steps in as the sharp-shooting sidekick who can stretch a defense and punish teams for loading up on the other two. That trio has a chance to become the most dynamic guard group in the league.

The frontcourt got better too, and that matters just as much. Adding Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard should go a long way toward stabilizing this team inside. Together they bring around 18 points and 12 rebounds per game, along with strong defensive value and the kind of toughness that helps win real games. Those are not empty additions. They are exactly the kind of players a rising team needs.

Paige and Arike did not get a full season to grow together last year, but when they shared the floor there were flashes of something special. The more comfortable they get with each other, the more dangerous Dallas becomes. With Fudd now joining that mix, the ceiling rises again.

Li Yueru also feels like a breakout candidate. She has shown real productivity in spurts, and this could be the season she turns that into consistent impact.

Winning the title still feels like a long shot with Las Vegas and New York loaded again. But Dallas looks built to clear its win total, land comfortably in the playoffs, and finish somewhere in the 3-to-6 seed range. A 27-17 season feels about right.