From getting drafted as the No. 1 pick to setting records on the court, Azzi Fudd has been in the headlines often in her rookie season. But it’s the timing of her rookie year that matters most. She entered the league at a historic time, in the first season since the new CBA. And Fudd recently spoke of the significance surrounding that.
“This is just the start,” Fudd said, per CBC Correspondent Savanna Hamilton. “You see what happens when people really give women respect? What happens when they really buy in? When they invest? It’s just the start. And I want to do my part and continue to build the game and leave it better than I found it.”
The highly anticipated CBA negotiations left the entire community in chaos during the offseason. The only demand the players had of the league was to get simply what they deserved. Given that the league’s financial situation was slowly improving, with growing in-arena ticket sales and a new multi-billion-dollar media rights deal, the new reality of salaries had to set in sooner or later.
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The players got exactly that – a better salary structure with a new $7M cap, with a minimum salary ranging between $270,000 and $300,000. Furthermore, the league also prioritized players in its revenue-sharing model. Over the term of the deal, the players will receive 20% of gross league and team revenue.
Fudd, being the first No. 1 draft pick right after this transition, also benefited immensely from the CBA. In fact, she became the first rookie in the league’s history to earn a $500,000 salary. For context, Paige Bueckers, who was drafted No. 1 by the Dallas Wings a year before, received just $78,831.
This six-fold increase in salary reflects the financial benefits of the new CBA precisely. But for Fudd, her No. 1 pick status is a responsibility, and not just a golden tag on her resume. She is already doing the hard work towards it by proving her excellence on the court and prompting the hoops community to take notice.
The Wings guard had already tied the record for the second-most points in a single quarter by a rookie. Fudd achieved it during the New York Liberty game back in May when she scored 17 points in Q3.
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If that was not enough, Azzi Fudd further added to her growing legacy in the Toronto Tempo game on Sunday. According to Polymarket Hoops, Fudd became the fastest guard to record 20 blocks.
These records are a perfect indication of her elite two-way skill set on the court. Given Fudd’s stature as a player, these records and numbers aren’t even a surprise anymore. But for Fudd herself, all of it traces back to her bigger responsibility of setting an example as the No. 1 draft pick for other players of her class.
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The post “Leave It Better Than I Found It”: Azzi Fudd Reflects on What It Means to Headline the First WNBA Draft Class Impacted By New CBA While Making History appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
