Azzi Fudd’s Homecoming Hits Different: A Star Returns, Fully Formed
WASHINGTON, D.C. - It’s been a long road for Azzi Fudd, but five years into her college career, she’s finally playing like the player everyone knew she could be. And on Thursday night, in front of a sold-out crowd packed with family, friends, and fans from her hometown, Fudd gave D.C. one last show in a UConn uniform.
This wasn’t about a career night or a buzzer-beater. It was about presence - Fudd’s presence, fully realized.
The smoothest release in college basketball? That’s hers.
The ability to create at all three levels? Check.
The defensive chops to pick pockets and flip the floor in an instant? Absolutely.
She’s not just back - she’s better, sharper, and more complete than ever.
And the timing couldn’t be sweeter.
In front of 125 friends and family members - including grandparents who don’t often get to make the trip - Fudd soaked in the love at CareFirst Arena. The building buzzed from the moment her name was announced in the starting lineup.
Fans in No. 35 jerseys, kids waving homemade signs, and an entire section packed with people who’ve been with her since her St. John’s College High School days - they all came to celebrate not just the player, but the journey.
“I'm definitely very proud to have been raised in the DMV,” Fudd said after the game. “Growing up in this area with this kind of competition, just high level from AAU to high school, I was always playing against really talented players. Coming back and playing here is super special.”
This was Fudd’s second - and final - collegiate homecoming. The Arlington, Va. native is just a 30-minute drive from the Georgetown campus, but this kind of return has been a long time coming.
Her freshman-year trip to D.C. was canceled due to a COVID outbreak. Even if the game had gone on, she wouldn’t have played - a foot injury had her sidelined.
The following year, another knee injury kept her off the floor when UConn visited the Hoyas again.
Then came the toughest blow: a second ACL tear in November 2023, this time with a medial meniscus injury added to the mix. It was the same knee she injured in high school, and it cost her an entire season.
But Fudd never folded. She rehabbed, rebuilt, and returned - not just as a shooter, but as a complete player. And last season, when UConn finally made the trip to Georgetown with Fudd healthy and suited up, she delivered: 21 points, five threes, and a performance that reminded everyone in the building why she was once the No. 1 recruit in the country.
This year, she followed it up with another strong showing: 19 points on 8-of-19 shooting, plus six boards, five assists, and two steals. Her first bucket came in classic Fudd fashion - grabbing a defensive rebound, pushing the pace, and pulling up for a smooth jumper.
The crowd erupted. And they never really quieted down.
“She’s crammed in a lot into seven years, both great and trying times,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said. “I know she was looking forward to tonight. And I hope the people down here enjoy watching her play like they did when she was in high school.”
They did. You could see it in the faces of the young girls pressed up against the tunnel rails, hoping for a photo or an autograph.
You could hear it in the cheers every time she touched the ball. And you could feel it in the way Fudd carried herself - confident, grateful, and grounded.
“It’s so special,” she said. “You never really get over that feeling of seeing so many people, even just repping UConn. It’s an incredible feeling to be away from home and still have it feel like a home game.”
Fudd’s numbers this season speak for themselves. She’s averaging career-bests across the board - 17.4 points, 2.9 assists, 2.2 steals per game. She’s shooting nearly 49% from the field, over 43% from deep, and she’s been perfect from the free-throw line - 31-for-31.
But what’s impressed Auriemma most isn’t the stats. It’s the mindset.
“When she was younger, I think it would get to her, and she would put a lot of pressure on herself,” he said. “Right now, she's just found a lot of other things to do on the court. She's expanded what her vision of who she is as a player is.”
That evolution was on full display Thursday. Fudd wasn’t thrilled about going 3-for-12 from beyond the arc, but she didn’t let it define her night. She rebounded, facilitated, defended - and controlled the game in ways that go beyond the box score.
“She’s contributing in way more ways than just making shots,” Auriemma added. “And by doing that, I think she feels more fulfilled.”
With the WNBA Draft looming in April, Fudd’s next chapter is fast approaching. She’s expected to be a top pick - maybe even No. 1 overall. And while her professional journey will take her to a new city, her roots will always trace back to D.C.
This wasn’t just a homecoming. It was a full-circle moment.
Azzi Fudd is no longer the high school phenom or the injured star with untapped potential. She’s the leader of a title-contending UConn team, a poised and polished guard with a pro-ready game, and a player whose impact stretches far beyond the court.
And on Thursday night, in the city where it all started, she reminded everyone exactly who she is.