Azzi Fudd is clear about her priorities, and the WNBA will have to wait.
The Uconn Huskies guard is talented but has battled several injuries. A lingering foot issue kept her out of 11 games during her first year. Then, some awful knee injuries stopped Fudd from appearing in 22 games during her sophomore season.
In a recently posted clip, WNBA star turned ESPN basketball analyst and reporter Rebecca Lobo recently asked Fudd about her plans at the end of the upcoming 2023-2024 season.
.@UConnWBB junior @azzi_35 is eligible for the 2024 @WNBA draft. What are her plans? She was definitive when I asked her. pic.twitter.com/6M5mMVTkyp
— Rebecca Lobo (@RebeccaLobo) October 30, 2023
“I plan on staying,” Fudd said calmly and confidently. “Why would I want to leave the basketball capital of the world?”
Despite being eligible to join the WNBA once she turns 22, Fudd plans to return to UConn. The move makes sense, given that she would have time to work on staying healthy and developing her game. Fudd would also likely be a top pick in 2025 and has several NIL deals that she can continue to utilize in the interim.
Also, with five Final Four appearances since 2017, there’s a chance Fudd could add hardware to her trophy case before joining the WNBA.