UConn's Azzi Fudd Decides to Stay Another Year With Huskies, Won't Declare for Draft

The Huskies won't be losing both Paige Bueckers and Fudd now.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd drives the ball during a game. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

UConn senior star Azzi Fudd has decided to return to the Huskies for the 2025–26 season instead of entering the WNBA draft this year, she told ESPN's Alexa Philippou. UConn confirmed the news shortly after.

Fudd's reasoning stems from her wanting to “work on everything I need to work on" and raising her level of play to new heights.

This is huge news for Huskies fans as the team was expected to lose both Paige Bueckers and Fudd this offseason. Bueckers is the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft.

Breaking: UConn Huskies star Azzi Fudd will return to college next season and forgo entering the 2025 WNBA draft.

Fudd told ESPN returning will allow her to “work on everything I need to work on” — and she believes one final year in Storrs will take her game to an all-new level pic.twitter.com/mlhrlIqMYo

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) March 25, 2025

Fudd also confirmed the news on Instagram on Tuesday. No. 2 seed UConn played their final game of the season at Gampel Pavilion on Monday night, beating No. 10 South Dakota State 91–57 in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but she emphasized how it wasn't her last game there.

"Hey Gampel, thanks for last night… See you next year #onemoreyear," Fudd wrote.

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A post shared by Azzi Fudd (@azzi35)

Fudd only played two games in her junior season in 2023–24 after she tore her right ACL. She missed the first couple games of this season, but has gone on to start 26 games and averaged 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

In UConn's two NCAA tournament games so far, Fudd is averaging 22 points, 3.5 assists and 4.0 steals. UConn will play in the Sweet 16 on Saturday vs. Oklahoma.

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