“Accidental elbow is just what it is”: Azzi Fudd’s dad firmly defends WNBA physicality after Lexie Hull’s painful collision sparks outrage

Lexie Hull was on the receiving end of a nasty hit on Sunday during the Indiana Fever's game against the Minnesota Lynx. During the fourth quarter of the game, Hull got hit by an elbow from Lynx's Kayla McBride following a rebound, prompting the referee to call a technical foul on McBride.

However, Azzi Fudd's father Tim, who was in the Target Center to watch the game, disagreed with the call, saying that the rebounder should have had a leeway on such instances.

Tim Fudd

@TFudd23

I’m a firm believer that the rebounder has to be able to get the defenders off of them. They are allowed to crowd them and grab them…an accidental elbow is just what it is.

Tim Fudd was a former basketball player during his collegiate days, before transitioning to coaching.

As Fudd watches in the front row, the officials review the play immediately for a possible hostile act, but it is later deemed just a technical foul.

Hull, who was on the floor for a minute after the collision, shrugged off the pain and continued to play for the rest of the game for the Fever. She finished with six points, one rebound, four assists, and two steals in 33 minutes on the court.

Hull has been one of the most-used players for Fever in the past few games as they continue to struggle with their shorthanded personnel, following the injuries of guards Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, and Caitlin Clark.

Before the game, Hull set a career-high, putting up 23 points in a loss against the Lynx on Friday in Indianapolis.

The Fever loss caused them to slide down to the eighth spot with a 19-18 record, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy with seven games remaining in their WNBA schedule.

Fever head coach Stephanie White admits the team has to adjust to physicality

Following their loss to the Lynx, Fever head coach Stephanie White expressed her reaction to how Indiana dealt with physicality during the game. According to White, the team has to continue adjusting to the physical plays.

“The physicality, we’ve been talking about it all year," White said. "I think that everybody adjusts to how it’s being called and and we just got to continue to do so.”

She also rued the inconsistent officiating during Sunday's game, which was the Fever's second straight meeting with the Lynx.

"It was called differently than Friday’s, and it’s part of it.” White said.

The Lynx is the top team in the league with a 30-7 record. If the playoffs are to start now, the eight-seeded Fever will be matched up against the Lynx, whose squad has been regarded as one of the favorites to win this year's title.