UConn star guard Azzi Fudd said Friday that she’s still decided about entering this year’s WNBA Draft, but the clock is ticking.
Players who will turn 22 this year must declare for the draft by April 1 if they plan on entering it, unless their team advances to the Elite Eight or further. In that case, they must declare within 48 hours of their final college game ending.
Fudd, who turned 22 last November, is enjoying arguably her best — or at least, her most healthy — season at UConn. She’s played 28 games, starting 24 of them, and is averaging 12.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 25.3 minutes of action. Fudd’s 3-point shooting percentage is 51st best nationally at 43.4 percent, and she’s 41st in the country in points per possession with 1.10.
She was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in her class in 2021, and despite battling injuries throughout her career at UConn is still thought of highly by WNBA talent evaluators. Before the season started, Fudd was tabbed as a top 20 player on The Next’s Big Board, while the Athletic recently projected Fudd to be the No. 9 overall pick.
But Fudd does have one year of college eligibility remaining beyond this season, so she has a choice to make.
She recently told Carl Adamec of CT Insider: “I still haven’t made that decision and will soon. I’ve talked to the coaches, talked to my family, and the decision is close.”
It’s a topic that Fudd has been asked about quite a lot this year.
Azzi Fudd was asked about coming back for a fifth year at UConn:
“We’ll see about the fifth year but I’m so grateful for the time that I’ve had.” pic.twitter.com/6NImx5dOV9
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) March 2, 2025
And UConn coach Geno Auriemma has been asked about Fudd’s future too. He recently told Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider that he’s “hopeful” Fudd comes back for next season. Auriemma made the case that Fudd could make more money in the WNBA by waiting a year.
“If she stays one more year, she’ll make more money next year when she goes into the draft because they have a new collective bargaining agreement coming up that should pay them more money than if she goes at the end of this year,” he told CT Insider.
Fudd won’t have to make a decision until after UConn plays its final NCAA Tournament game. The Huskies and their fans hope that’s in the national championship game in Tampa.
