Azzi Fudd and Flau'jae Johnson set to join UConn legend Sue Bird for 3rd annual Business of Women's Sports Summit

College basketball stars Azzi Fudd and Flau'jae Johnson are set to grace the stage at the third annual Business of Women's Sports Summit. The event will be held next Tuesday at Chelsea Factory in New York City, where a diverse array of athletes, executives, investors and influencers will converge.

On Thursday, Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment — the firm behind the summit — shared an announcement on Instagram, confirming the participation of two national champions, Fudd and Johnson.

"Announcing two STARS, NCAA CHAMPIONS AND HOOPERS joining us on stage at the 3rd annual Business of Women’s Sports Summit: AZZI FUDD (UConn Star and 2025 NCAA WBB Champion & MVP) and FLAU’JAE JOHNSON (LSU Star & 2023 NCAA WBB Champion and Recording Artist)" the caption read.

Fudd, who led UConn to its 12th national title last week, will engage in a one-on-one "fireside chat" with fellow UConn alumna and WNBA legend Sue Bird.

Johnson, known for her on-court prowess and musical talent, will join Diana Flores and Kamal Bhandal to discuss their collaboration with Invisalign on the Smile Team initiative, focusing on cultivating confidence.

Apart from the two, Olivia Miles of TCU and Lauren Betts of UCLA are some of the other student-athletes who are also expected to attend. The summit will include Sarah Spain's monologue, red-carpet interviews with Macketta Johns, and several other activities.

Sue Bird offered balanced perspective on Azzi Fudd's next big step

Azzi Fudd has spent four years in Storrs, where she dealt with injuries that caused her to miss a season and a half of basketball for the Huskies. She still has one year of eligibility left, which she decided to embrace by forgoing this year’s WNBA draft.

However, it was not easy for the 5-foot-11 guard to make the pivotal decision. Sue Bird, a two-time NCAA champion with UConn, helped Fudd by making a pros and cons list for the young star.

"Because of injuries, she didn't actually play a lot of college games ... So is that a reason to stay?" Bird said during an episode of the A Touch More podcast in March. "But you could also make the argument that because of injuries, you want to start your professional career sooner."

The former WNBA star added that Azzi Fudd would have a greater opportunity to earn more money as a pro on and off the court, even though she could cash in on good money through NIL if she stays in college. Bird also joked that Fudd would not have to attend class if she turned pro.