Azzi Fudd on March Madness Recovery, UConn Development, and Her Viral Pregame Routine
Azzi Fudd is focused on recovery right now.
The UConn Huskies superstar is hoping to lead her team to a second straight national championship. And while she'll be headed to the WNBA after that (assuming there is a season), Fudd needs to make it through March first in one piece.
And to help her do that, Fudd has partnered with Planet Fitness to prioritize her recovery before March Madness arrives. Specifically, Fudd has taken her talents to Planet Fitness' Black Card Spa, which provides a recovery oasis within the gym.
Azzi spoke with Grant Young of Women's Fastbreak On SI about her partnership with Planet Fitness, along with other aspects of her basketball career, both on and off the court.
You were using Planet Fitness' HydroMassage in their Black Card Spa in your social media posts, so I'm wondering why you prioritized that machine with your recovery?
AF: For me, the HydroMassage chair was something that I'd never used before until I went to Planet Fitness and was using their Black Card Spa. I found that that was just a new way to recover that I hadn't used before, and it relieved my muscles and made me feel great. It's super relaxing, so it's an easy way to lie there. You get to recover your mind and your body all at once, and you feel so much better after. So that's definitely one of my go-tos.
Azzi Fudd is a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/17sQkPFfuI
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) March 5, 2026
I would imagine that March is the most stressful month of the year for you. Given how condensed your schedule is and all the travel going on, I'm wondering what parts of recovery become the most important to stay consistent with during that time, and how you make sure you're prioritizing recovery and taking care of your body.
AF: Like you said, March is, well, first of all, the basketball season is so long. Then, the very end of your season is the most hectic with travel and games. So it's important that you're prioritizing recovery in that time, both mentally and physically. Being able to make sure every single day you're taking the time.
For me, recovery is most important at this time of the year. You can do all the on-court stuff you need, but at the end of the day, if you're not recovering, then you can't perform. Being able to get that kind of recovery at Planet Fitness and using their Black Card Spa has been a game-changer because it really allows you to get all forms of recovery, mentally and physically. Without that, you're not putting yourself in the best position at this time of the year.
It's interesting hearing you talk about the mental side of recovery. What is something fans might not understand about the value of the mental recovery aspect when you're going into the Black Card Spa?
AF: I think it can look different for anyone. For some people, it's just taking that step away and being able to relax and be on your own. Maybe you like the quiet, you like being in your own thoughts. Sometimes it's being able to put headphones on and listen to music while you're recovering.
For me, I like listening to music, closing my eyes, and just being able to relax and take a step away from all the chaos, the noise, social media, whatever it might be.
One of the most fascinating things to me about UConn is that a lot of players come in with one specific thing they're great at, and throughout their careers, they develop and become more well-rounded players. When you think about your own development, what parts of your offensive game do you think have grown the most since you arrived on campus?
AF: That's a good question. I would say an area I've grown — something I was good at before but have grown in confidence with — is my decision-making. Reading the game and letting it come to me instead of forcing things.
Our offense isn't very regimented. It's very much read what your defender is doing, read what your teammate does. Being able to read the game has been the biggest part of our offense and in learning and growing as a player. If you're just playing, defenses can't scout what you're doing because they don't know what move you're going to make next. Being able to be on the same page with my teammates and just read and play and play free and have fun has been the biggest thing for me.
If I were answering that question for you, I would have said the exact same thing. Your reading of the game and the conviction you're playing with really jump out compared to earlier in your career. Is that something you can learn in the film room, or is it more something you have to develop on the court yourself?
AF: I think it's definitely a combination of both. Being able to watch film is something I've gotten better at and started doing more of; watching film with my position coach and learning from what you did. Watching a practice or a game and being able to say, maybe this wasn't the best read, I could have done this, I had this person here, I should have back-cut here.
Sometimes, in real time, you notice it too late, or you don't notice it at all. Then also having individual workouts or guard workouts with one or two other players where we break things down, whether it's defensive or offensive focused, and work on making those reads together and being on the same page.
we’ll always stop to watch an Azzi Fudd three pointer pic.twitter.com/vH9ESQ2vrr
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) January 9, 2026
The FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament is happening next week, and you've played with a lot of people on that team. When you think about Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark on the court together, how do you imagine that pairing working offensively?
AF: I'm really excited to watch the qualifying tournament. This roster is full of talent. Thinking about how that team is going to have to figure out how to guard that, I feel sorry for them. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch.
Being able to play off that much talent, you're going to draw the defense in so many different ways. People are going to be wide open, and you have to pick your poison in a sense. So it's going to be a lot of fun to watch and cheer them on.
The 2026 USA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Team! 🇺🇸 #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/fpRX0Rcfft
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) March 5, 2026
You've talked in the past about having a pregame ritual of going to the bathroom before games. I played college baseball and had the exact same ritual. You've mentioned that it alleviates nerves, and there's obviously a physical component to it. For me, there was also a kind of spiritual component, where once you step on the field, you're surrendering to uncertainty, and having that routine beforehand was a way to reclaim a little bit of control. Did you ever think about it that way?
AF: That does make sense. I never thought about it that way, but I kind of love that because it's true. As soon as you step on the court, there are only so many things you can control. Once the ball goes up, it's like, can the best player win, can the most aggressive player win? So I kind of love thinking about it like that. I might have to reframe it like that.
Have you ever gotten any flak from your teammates for that routine?
AF: Of course. They yell at me all the time, especially when it's an away trip and it's a small locker room. They're like, “Azzi, oh my God.” I can't help it. Do you want me to play well or not? Do you want me to move on defense or not?
That's right. It's obviously worked out well for you at this point.
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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