Women's Fastbreak On SI

UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Opens Up About Azzi Fudd's WNBA Draft Decision

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma sent a clear message about Azzi Fudd's decision to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft or return to UConn.

Grant Young

Mar 2, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) reacts after her three point basket against the Marquette Golden Eagles in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Mar 2, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) reacts after her three point basket against the Marquette Golden Eagles in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

While the UConn Huskies women's basketball team's focus is surely now on the 2025 NCAA Tournament, star guard Azzi Fudd surely has also something looming in the back of her mind: Her impending decision to either declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft or return to UConn for one more season next year.

As it currently stands, Fudd hasn't made (or at least announced) which route she's going to take. And when speaking with the media on March 2, Fudd said, "I mean, we'll see about the fifth year, but I'm so grateful for the time that I've had."

Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma has said several times that he wants to know about his players' decision to either declare for the draft or come back to school after their conference tournament ends. While it's unknown whether Fudd has informed Auriemma of her decision yet, Auriemma did speak about it after the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket reveal.

"Who knows? I think she will. I think Azzi will," Auriemma said of Fudd returning to UConn, per a March 17 article from CT Insider's Maggie Vanoni. "But again, I'm not the number one voice in their ear anymore, like I used to be. Now, there's a lot of voices.

"I'm hopeful, I think," Auriemma continued. "Besides, 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."

Auriemma is spot on about Fudd making more money next year if she decides to stay at UConn. However, is money the biggest factor in her decision? Perhaps only she knows the answer to 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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