UConn guard Azzi Fudd is currently focused on the Final Four, rather than the upcoming WNBA draft.
Fudd stated on Thursday that her goal is to embrace her final days with the Huskies. She is trying not to get ‘sucked into all the things that are coming next’.
Staying Present in Final Season
Fudd said she wants to take full advantage of being in the UConn programme with her teammates and coaches. She acknowledged that it has become more difficult to stay focused as the season nears its end. ‘I can’t look that far ahead because I know I’m going to miss these moments with my team,’ said Fudd.
Potential No. 1 Draft Pick
The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 13 in New York. Fudd is expected to be a leading contender. Should she be selected first overall, she would follow Paige Bueckers, who was the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings last year.
The Wings hold the No. 1 pick again this year. If they choose Fudd, she and Bueckers would become teammates.
Undefeated Season and Team Focus
Fudd has elevated her game in her senior year. She led the Huskies to a 38-0 record, averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting 45.5% from 3-point range. Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four, which she credits for giving her the confidence to have an All-American senior season.
UConn are hoping to win consecutive national championships and complete an undefeated season. Fudd says that the team doesn’t focus on the pressure to maintain their high standards.
‘This whole season, it was never like, ‘Oh, we can’t lose, we can’t break the streak,” Fudd said. ‘It’s just next game. How can we get better? How can we win? What can we do to just focus on the game, the present, ourselves, instead of all that outside noise, the expectation, the pressures.’
Fudd believes focusing on improvement and winning, rather than external pressures, has been the team’s priority.
Facing South Carolina
UConn will face South Carolina in the Final Four semifinals. Fudd was also asked about criticisms of UConn’s schedule. There were conversations centered around whether UCLA deserved the No. 1 overall seed because the Bruins played a tougher nonconference schedule.
Fudd says while there is pressure to uphold a standard, the team does not think about the pressure.
‘I feel like leaning on each other, being focused on how we can get better, how we can win, how we can just continue to develop throughout the season has been our main priority.’
The work is not yet complete for Fudd and the Huskies as they approach their game against South Carolina.