Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have shared many similarities throughout their collegiate careers. Both were the No. 1 recruits in their high school class, earned Big East All-Freshman honors and reached the Final Four in their rookie campaign.
Despite their hype coming out of high school and success in year one, however, both guards have dealt with unfortunate injury woes. Each suffered a knee injury in consecutive clashes against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish that limited them to fewer than 20 games that year. Worse, both went down with a torn ACL the following season.
Now both guards played in the UConn women’s basketball team’s season opener against the Dayton Flyers on November 8. Bueckers returned to the court for the first time since the 2022 national championship game in her home state of Minnesota. It was also one of two contests that Fudd played last season before her junior campaign abruptly ended.
The 2021 Naismith Player of the Year went on to average career-highs in points (21.9), rebounds (5.2) and blocks (1.4) across 39 games. Could the 2021 McDonald’s All-American put her name back on the map like her UConn teammate did in her fourth season?
By no means does Fudd need to be an All-American or Big East Player of the Year like the Huskies’ leading scorer was. Sure, the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist’s career-best in scoring is 32 points, which occurred twice across consecutive games early last season. Fudd took over the contest with Bueckers sidelined for the year on both occasions.
The 2018 Next Sports Phenom Player of the Year will not need to be the main offensive catalyst, especially with the 2021 Wooden Award winner back on the court. Instead, Fudd will likely spend the season crafting her three-point shot—her specialty—in a true shooting guard role.
It goes beyond the 2018 USA Today All-USA Third Team selection’s NIL deal with Stephen Curry’s brand, SC30 Inc. Fudd buried 58 triples on 135 attempts during her rookie campaign in Storrs. No Connecticut player had more treys that season, and the Arlington, Virginia, native was triples shy of Bueckers’ number (138) the season prior.
At full strength, Fudd is someone who can shoot over 40% from downtown. Injuries have prevented college basketball from seeing what the 2019 Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year can really do from behind the arc, though. Over her last 17 games, Fudd landed just 38 of her 114 for a 33.3% mark.
It is still a solid rate, but that will change this upcoming season, especially once the redshirt junior returns to the team’s practices. Even with that change imminent, however, Fudd’s game goes well beyond the three-point shot.
Bueckers holds the edge when it comes to rebounds; the former has averaged twice as many boards per game (4.8 to 2.4) as the latter in her career. Despite this disadvantage, the 2021 Morgan Wooten High School Basketball Player of the Year has still averaged at least two rebounds in two of her first three seasons.
Fudd grabbed at least five boards four times throughout her freshman campaign alone, with three of those outings occurring in Big East play. Out of those four contests, the 2018 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Player of the Year dropped double figures in three of them. While she has never had a double-double or a game with multiple offensive rebounds, Fudd’s ability to attack the glass should not be ignored.
Neither should the 2018 DC State Athletic Association Tournament MVP’s tendency to set up her open teammates. Take away her five dimes in two games last season, and Fudd is still averaging over an assist per game in her career. She posted those numbers, including five games over her first two seasons with four dimes, without really playing as a point guard.
Lost in all of this is her ability to be a lockdown defender. The 2018 MaxPreps Second Team All-American has recorded more than a steal per game lifetime and forced a turnover in 28 of her 42 career contests. Especially as a guard, Fudd could be seen as a defensive luxury on a team featuring six-time Big East Freshman of the Week KK Arnold and Aubrey Griffin. With 22 rejections to her name, however, the 2022 NCAA Tournament Bridgeport All-Region Team guard’s impact is as critical as everyone else’s.
While there has not been one specific game where Fudd’s defense was the deciding factor, she has had multiple standout performances. The ESPN HoopGurlz’ Class of 2021 No. 1 recruit forced at least five turnovers in both the Huskies’ first and last games of the 2022-23 season. UConn’s Sweet 16 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes was also one of three contests where Fudd swatted multiple shots.
Because her career averages in steals (1.1) and blocks (0.5) are low, opposing coaches may not be prepared when the 2021 McDonald’s All-American strikes on that end of the floor. That leaves opposing shooting guards in the Big East and outside of it in a tough situation where they may struggle offensively against the Huskies. It is a lose-lose situation for the other team if Fudd supplements her three-point stroke with a suffocating defense.
Connecticut, without a doubt, is one of basketball’s top three teams when the 2018 Next Sports Phenom Player of the Year is at full strength. The nation saw glimpses of Fudd dominating college basketball four times in a five-game stretch during the 2022-23 season. If the 2019 Gatorade National Player of the Year records around 60% of what she posted during that span, All-Big East Team talks may start swirling.
This upcoming season is a pivotal one for Fudd, who will be 22 by the beginning of Big East play in December. Should the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist become an all-around guard, there are two parties that will emerge victorious. As Fudd’s draft stock significantly rises, so too will the Huskies’ chances of collecting their 12th national title.
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