UConn's Azzi Fudd Opens Up About Offseason Growth

She recalled dismissing coach Geno Auriemma's speeches to seniors when she first arrived at UConn. His warnings about missing the college experience seemed exaggerated to a freshman focused on reaching the next level.

"I remember hearing it for the first time as a freshman and being like, oh my gosh, he's so dramatic, and he's telling our seniors how they're going to miss the hard practices, they're going to miss going back to the apartments, hanging out with everyone." She said.

Auriemma would tell departing players they'd miss everything from pregame meals to casual apartment hangouts because professional basketball is different. The WNBA is a business where those bonds don't exist the same way.

"But as I've gotten older, I'm like, wow, we really are lucky and blessed to be in this little bubble. It really is a bubble."

Fudd now appreciates being surrounded by coaches who want the best for her and teammates who feel like family. She's learned to embrace everything about college basketball, from the good moments to the ugly ones and the hard practices in between.

Her perspective shifted after experiencing a full healthy season alongside departing teammates. She talked about finally being healthy after battling multiple ACL tears and knee injuries that sidelined her for most of the past two seasons. She's excited because she says this is the healthiest she's been since arriving at UConn.

How Did Last Season Change Azzi Fudd's Outlook?

The biggest lesson from her 2024-25 campaign was learning to appreciate the mundane moments that define college basketball. Fudd now tries to stay present and enjoy every single thing, whether it's a pregame meal, practice, games, or time in the locker room. She knows professional basketball will be different.

Her newfound appreciation carries extra weight after years of injuries limited her ability to experience what she now values. Fudd tore her ACL and MCL in 2019 at a USA Basketball event, then managed just two games during the 2023-24 season because of knee problems. Last season marked the first time she stayed healthy enough to play a full year at UConn.

That health allowed her to average 13.6 points per game and deliver 24 points in the national championship game against South Carolina. UConn finished 37-3 overall with an unbeaten 18-0 record in Big East play, giving Fudd a front-row seat to watch seniors savor their final season.

Playing alongside departing teammates showed her the unique bonds that separate college from professional basketball. Those relationships helped UConn dominate the Big East and reclaim a national championship while teaching Fudd what makes the college experience irreplaceable.

She finally gets what Auriemma was saying all those years. The college bubble is real, and once it's gone, it's gone. Fudd learned that by watching teammates leave and understanding what they were losing.

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