Women's Fastbreak On SI

Azzi Fudd Gives Paige Bueckers Flowers for Setting 'Honest' Media Example

Azzi Fudd praised an underrated aspect of Paige Bueckers' stardom when speaking with the media on June 24.
Grant Young|
Apr 13, 2025; Hartford, CT, USA; UConn student-athlete Paige Bueckers and UConn student-athlete Azzi Fudd walk onto the stage during the Final Four Champions victory parade and rally outside of the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rausenberger-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2025; Hartford, CT, USA; UConn student-athlete Paige Bueckers and UConn student-athlete Azzi Fudd walk onto the stage during the Final Four Champions victory parade and rally outside of the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rausenberger-Imagn Images | Scott Rausenberger-Imagn Images

There's no question that Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers has navigated her stardom in the women's basketball world (and in the sports world as a whole) with the utmost grace.

One of the reasons why Bueckers is unanimously beloved is because of how humble she is when speaking to the media, and how she's always willing to give interviewers and media members a genuine answer to whatever they're asking.

Bueckers has been doing this ever since her time playing with the UConn Huskies. And this clearly caught the attention of Azzi Fudd, Bueckers' former teammate with whom she still holds an extremely close relationship. When speaking with the media on June 24, Fudd spoke about how Bueckers set a strong example for her regarding how she deals with the media.

After a prolonged pause after being asked how she can learn from how Bueckers deals with the media, Fudd said, "I mean, I think she handled the media very well. She always has. I think the way that she's well spoken, but also honest. She's not gonna lie when someone asks her a question, she's gonna tell you what she thinks.

"But I think she's just super well-spoken. Like she knows, I don't know how else to describe that, but I can learn from that," Fudd added of Bueckers, per an X post from @thearkvi.

UConn fans have noticed how much more comfortable Fudd is on camera and when speaking to the media now, when compared to her earlier seasons at UConn. And perhaps following Bueckers' lead is a reason for that.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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