Azzi Fudd returning to UConn next season

Azzi Fudd is returning to UConn next season for her final year of college basketball, the star guard announced on social media.

Fudd believes returning to school will allow her to "work on everything I need to work on," before joining the WNBA, she told ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

A recent conversation with Huskies coach Geno Auriemma solidified Fudd's decision to stay in Storrs, as the Hall of Famer told her that she has much more to give to the program.

"Having someone of Azzi's ability and the way she can just control a game, she just hasn't had an opportunity, at this point, to fully show who she is, what she can do, what impact she can have on our program and on college basketball," Auriemma said. "So hopefully being here another year, having an injury-free year, knock on wood, can remind everybody this is the Azzi Fudd that was coming out of high school, and can we get a full year out of that?"

Fudd was limited to 17 total games in her sophomore and junior seasons due to knee injuries, including an ACL tear in November 2023. She averaged 13.4 points, two rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals during the regular season, increasing her scoring output to 16.4 points in the NCAA Tournament.

The former No. 1 overall prospect hopes to be an All-American and win national championships in both of her final years in college.

"I don't want to take any second, any possession, for granted," Fudd said. "I don't want to have that kind of passive mindset, not once this tournament. I'm playing for my teammates. I'm playing for me, who couldn't play last year, and (UConn's current injured players).

"I know what it feels like to be on the outside, so I don't want to take even a possession for granted or lightly at all, but especially now during the tournament."