Azzi Fudd is a 23-year-old American professional basketball player and shooting guard for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. Born November 11, 2002, in Fairfax, Virginia, she played five seasons at UConn, won the 2025 NCAA Championship, and was selected #1 overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft — one of the most celebrated prospects in women’s basketball history.
Who Is Azzi Fudd? The Story Behind the Name
If you follow women’s basketball even a little, you’ve heard the name. But Azzi Fudd isn’t just a name that trends on draft night — it’s a name that’s been circling the sport since she was barely a teenager.
Born in Fairfax, Virginia, to Katie and Tim Fudd (both former college basketball players themselves), Azzi grew up in a household where basketball wasn’t just a hobby. It was a language. Her mother played at NC State and Georgetown. Her father played at American University. So in a lot of ways, greatness was already in the building before she ever picked up a ball.
And here’s something most people don’t know: her first name is a tribute. She was named after Jennifer Azzi, a former WNBA player and coach. That’s a lot of expectation to carry in a name — and she’s lived up to every bit of it.
Azzi Fudd’s Early Life and High School Dominance
Her story doesn’t start in college. It starts way earlier.
At St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., Fudd quickly separated herself from every other player in her class — and then from every player in every other class too. In her sophomore year alone, she averaged 26.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Think about that for a second. As a sophomore.
That kind of performance earned her the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award in 2019 — making her the first sophomore ever to win that award. She also picked up the USA Today All-USA Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors the same year.
By the time she was done at St. John’s, her recruiting profile read like a wish list for any college program in the country:
- McDonald’s All-American (2021)
- Morgan Wootten Player of the Year (2021)
- Ranked #1 recruit in the class of 2021
- Led her high school team to a 35-1 record and a DCSAA tournament title
She wasn’t just good. She was historically good. And everyone in college basketball was watching.
Why Azzi Fudd Chose UConn — And How Paige Bueckers Was Involved
Here’s where the story gets really interesting.
When Azzi Fudd was making her college decision, she had offers from essentially every top program in the country. But one person had her ear more than most coaches: Paige Bueckers, her teammate on the USA Women’s Under-16 National Team in 2017.
The two had been friends since they were barely in their teens, and when Bueckers committed to UConn under legendary head coach Geno Auriemma, she didn’t hesitate to recruit Fudd to join her. It worked.
In 2021, Fudd joined the UConn Huskies — and one of the most talked-about backcourts in women’s college basketball was born.
What we observed from the moment she stepped on campus was a player who already had a polished, professional-level jump shot. Her release was fast. Her footwork was clean. She wasn’t raw at all — she arrived ready.
Azzi Fudd’s College Career at UConn: The Full Breakdown
Freshman Year — The Promise Was Immediate
In her 2021-22 season with the Huskies, Azzi Fudd made her presence felt right away. She earned a spot on the Big East All-Freshman Team and was named to the 2022 NCAA Tournament Bridgeport All-Region Team. She was scoring, she was shooting efficiently, and she was doing exactly what everyone expected — only faster.
The Injury Years — A Test of Character
College careers rarely run in a straight line. Fudd’s was no different.
She battled through significant injury setbacks in the 2023-24 season, managing to play in only two games before going down. It was a gut punch for UConn fans and for Fudd personally. But what set her apart was what happened next. She stayed connected to the program, kept working, and came back with a hunger that showed in every minute she played.
In our observation of how she handled those years, it became clear that the injuries didn’t break her mindset — they sharpened it.
2024-25: A Championship Season
This was the season that put a ring on everything.
Azzi Fudd played 34 games, averaged 13.6 points per game, and helped lead the UConn Huskies to the 2025 NCAA Championship, beating the South Carolina Gamecocks in the title game. She was named to the Big East All-Tournament Team and the All-Big East First Team. And in the tournament itself? She earned Most Outstanding Player honors — the kind of award that lives in highlight reels forever.
2025-26: The Career-Best Finale
She came back for one final season. And she saved the best for last.
In her graduate season, Azzi Fudd started all 39 games and averaged a career-high 17.3 points per game. She shot 44.7% from three-point range and led the entire nation in three-pointers made, sinking 117 of 262 attempts. She earned First-Team All-American honors from both the AP and USBWA — the recognition her career had been building toward for years.
Her final college stats across 115 career games:
- 14.7 points per game
- 2.3 rebounds per game
- 2.1 assists per game
- 42.2% from three-point range
- 92.5% from the free-throw line
Those are not just good numbers. Those are WNBA-ready numbers. Elite shooter numbers.
Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers: More Than Just Teammates
You can’t tell the story of Azzi Fudd without talking about Paige Bueckers. And not just because of basketball.
The two first crossed paths in 2017 at USA youth basketball camps. They became close friends. Bueckers helped recruit Fudd to UConn. They won a national championship together in 2025. And then in 2025, they made public what many had suspected — they were in a relationship.
It’s a genuine love story that also happens to involve two of the best basketball players of their generation. When Bueckers went #1 overall to the Dallas Wings in 2025, Fudd stayed at UConn for her final year. And when the Wings won the draft lottery again in 2026? The stage was set for a reunion.
Azzi Fudd Goes #1 Overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft
On April 13, 2026, it became official.
Azzi Fudd was selected #1 overall by the Dallas Wings — joining Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale in what is arguably the most talented backcourt in WNBA history.
Dallas Wings GM Curt Miller didn’t hold back in his praise: “Azzi Fudd is one of the best shooters in our game today. She has a lightning-quick release and her movement off the ball is elite.”
This made Fudd the seventh player in UConn program history to be drafted #1 overall, following legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, and Maya Moore. That’s an exclusive list. Very exclusive.
What Makes Azzi Fudd So Special as a Player?
Let’s break down what makes her genuinely different from most guards in the game:
- Elite three-point shooting: A 42%+ career three-point percentage in college is rare. Leading the entire country in three-pointers made in your final season? That’s a weapon.
- Lightning-quick release: Her shot mechanics are advanced. The release is fast enough that she can create separation against even quick defenders.
- Off-ball movement: She doesn’t need the ball in her hands to be dangerous. She reads screens, finds open spaces, and attacks the moment she catches the ball.
- Free-throw accuracy: At 92.5% from the line over her college career, she’s ice cold under pressure.
- Defensive effort: She averaged 1.7 steals per game across her UConn career — not a stat line of someone who coasts on offense.
- Coachability and IQ: Every coach who has worked with her points to her basketball IQ and willingness to evolve her game as key strengths.
She doesn’t try to do everything. She does her specific things extraordinarily well — and in the WNBA, that kind of specialist at the guard position is worth its weight in gold.
Azzi Fudd’s Early WNBA Career With the Dallas Wings
The start wasn’t exactly what everyone expected — but it was still promising.
Through her first four professional games, Azzi Fudd averaged 8.8 points, with 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 0.8 steals per game. She came off the bench initially — a surprise move by new head coach Jose Fernandez — but she showed flashes of exactly why the Wings spent the #1 pick on her.
In one memorable early game, she and former NBA legend-turned-fan-favorite Skylar Diggins traded three-pointers in the fourth quarter. It was a full-circle moment — Fudd had posted a photo with Diggins on Instagram back in 2013 when she was in middle school, calling her “a great role model.”
Thirteen years later, she’s playing against her. That’s the kind of trajectory that makes you smile.
The expectation is that as the season develops and she finds her rhythm alongside Bueckers and Ogunbowale, her numbers will climb. She’s not a project. She’s a proven scorer learning a new level.
Fun Facts About Azzi Fudd You Probably Didn’t Know
- She completed her bachelor’s degree in Communication in 2024 — finishing her undergrad while playing college basketball.
- She went on to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree at UConn.
- She has three brothers — Jose, Jon, and Thomas.
- She holds three gold medals with USA Basketball at the youth international level, including the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup and the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.
- As a kid, she attended Notre Dame’s campus and posted a photo with Skylar Diggins on Instagram. She called Diggins her “role model” — not knowing she’d one day be her WNBA opponent.
- She and Bueckers have been friends since they were 14 years old.
Before the FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered
At this point, you’ve got the full picture of who Azzi Fudd is — where she came from, what she accomplished at UConn, and where she’s headed in Dallas. But we know there are still a few specific questions floating around. Let’s get into them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Azzi Fudd
Is Azzi Fudd in a relationship with Paige Bueckers? Yes. Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers publicly confirmed their relationship in 2025, after years of being close friends and teammates at UConn. The two are now both playing for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.
Why did Azzi Fudd stay at UConn instead of entering the WNBA Draft in 2025? Azzi Fudd chose to return to UConn for her graduate season after the 2024-25 year, citing her desire to complete her MBA and have one final full, healthy college season. That decision paid off — she had a career-best season and was drafted #1 overall in 2026.
What position does Azzi Fudd play in the WNBA? She plays shooting guard for the Dallas Wings. Standing 5-foot-11 with elite perimeter shooting and strong defensive instincts, she’s a natural fit alongside ball-dominant guards like Paige Bueckers.
What high school did Azzi Fudd attend? Azzi Fudd attended St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. She was the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2021 and won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in 2019 as a sophomore.
Who is Azzi Fudd named after? She was named after Jennifer Azzi, a former WNBA player and women’s basketball coach. Her parents — both former college basketball players — chose the name as a tribute to a player they admired.
The Bigger Picture: Why Azzi Fudd Matters for Women’s Basketball
There’s a reason people care about the journey of Azzi Fudd beyond just stats and draft positions.
She represents something specific in women’s basketball: the kind of player who does things the right way, who takes the long road when necessary, who returns to school instead of rushing to the professional stage, who graduates with two degrees while competing at the highest level of college sport, and who arrives in the pros not as a raw prospect but as a finished product.
The WNBA is in a golden era right now — Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart. Women’s basketball is getting the attention it has always deserved. And Azzi Fudd joining the Dallas Wings adds another electric name to that list.
If the early flashes of her WNBA games are any indication, the best chapters of this story haven’t been written yet. Keep watching. She’s just getting started.
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