Geno Auriemma Points Out Key Shift in Azzi Fudd’s UConn Confidence
It doesn't seem like any team has a chance of beating Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies squad during this 2025-26 NCAA season.
Things can change quickly, of course, and there's no telling what can happen during a single-elimination game during the NCAA Tournament. But there's no question that No. 1-ranked UConn looks like the country's best team by a wide margin at this point, and has essentially cruised to a perfect 27-0 record after their most recent victory over Marquette on February 14.
A big part of this success has been star guard Azzi Fudd. While Fudd has long been one of the country's most talented players and was critical for UConn capturing last year's national championship, her game has continued to develop to the point where she's a lethal two-way asset for Auriemma.
RELATED: Azzi Fudd Snubs Paige Bueckers in UConn Mt. Rushmore Pick
Geno Auriemma Praises Azzi Fudd For Playing With Confidence
It seems that Fudd's development isn't just about how she has improved physically. There's a mental component to her success, which Geno Auriemma conveyed when speaking after his team's victory over Marquette.
"She's putting herself in positions to do that, as opposed to previous years, I think she was very cautious. She played the game cautiously on defense," Auriemma said, per a February 16 article from Jack Maloney of CBS Sports.
"If I would say there's one thing that I'm glad we're seeing, is her ability off the ball to be in the right spot at the right time and to have the confidence to go for it and not worry about what happens if I'm not successful. It's been like that all year, and it's great when you have someone that's that kind of offensive player that's willing to play like that on the other end," Auriemma continued.
Fudd I’m tearing up omg 🥹she’s the best ever my number 1 pick, dpoty, 1st team all American, Ann drysdale award winner pic.twitter.com/tMKvVi4uYy
— linds (@finestlinds) February 16, 2026
RELATED: Geno Auriemma's Brutally Honest Azzi Fudd Advice Sparked UConn Return
Fudd has never looked more comfortable on the court, and this is surely something that the Dallas Wings and other WNBA teams will take notice of when deciding when and where to select Fudd in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
The consensus is that Dallas will pair her up with Paige Bueckers once again and take her with the No. 1 pick. But if they decide to go elsewhere, it's hard to imagine that this confident version of Fudd we're seeing will remain on the draft board for long.
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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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