ARLINGTON, Texas -- Last year the Dallas Wings didn't register their fifth win until June 28, their 18th game of the season, on their way to an eventual 10-34 finish, tied for last in the league standings.
On Thursday night at the College Park Center, those days felt far behind them.
Behind a historic triple-double from new acquisition Jessica Shepard and a stellar game from No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd in her first career start, the Wings overcame a 13-point deficit to knock off the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, 95-87.
The feat came on the heels of the Wings' Sunday victory over the New York Liberty, signifying Dallas (5-3) has now defeated the last two WNBA champs in consecutive games.
Shepard had her fingerprints all over the victory, dazzling with her second triple-double of the season and third of her career. She had 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. Shepard is the second player in WNBA history to have 20 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a game, joining Alyssa Thomas, who did it in 2023, according to ESPN Research.
Prior to tip, Aces coach Becky Hammon compared Shepard to Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green -- "just that facilitator, do all that dirty work, get other people involved, and really the offense flows a lot through her from that five-spot position," the coach said.
The comparison proved prophetic -- Shepard even said she could see the similarities when asked about it postgame before quipping, "maybe I can score a little better than him."
When Shepard wasn't facilitating the offense, dominating the glass or starting the break, the Wings' young backcourt duo of Fudd and fellow No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers did the damage. The two former UConn teammates combined for 42 points and 5-for-11 shooting from the 3-point arc (the Wings made 10 three-pointers overall on the night).
Fudd's 22 points -- 13 of which came in the second half, which the Wings won 50-34 -- are tied for the most in Wings history by a player in their first career start.
First-year Wings coach Jose Fernandez said pregame that, while forward Alanna Smith missed the game with an illness and guard Arike Ogunbowale was initially questionable with the same designation, Fudd was slated to make her first career start regardless of the others' statuses.
The sharpshooter has now compiled 46 points in her past two games compared to 42 total across her first five. "I think just feeling more comfortable each game, being aggressive first of all, not hesitating when I'm open," Fudd said of her growth since the beginning of the season, "not ever trying to force it to score."
The Wings have a matchup against the Seattle Storm on Monday. ESPN Analytics gave Dallas the league's toughest schedule for the first quarter of the season, and there were initially questions over how the unproven Wings would manage it with a new coaching staff and a slew of new players.
It's still early, but all signs are indeed pointing to the arrival of a new era.
"Probably nobody believed that we'd have five wins right now and the type of wins that we've have," Fernandez said. "But I think everybody in that locker room and that staff believed it."
