"Extremely hard working": Paige Bueckers raves about UConn teammate's incredible work ethic

UConn guard Paige Bueckers has said she enjoys playing with Azzi Fudd while praising her performances for the team this season. Bueckers and Fudd have both played a major role in the Huskies' success this season, helping them win the Big East regular-season title with an 18-0 record.

While Bueckers is the team's star player, Fudd has also contributed her part. The 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 12.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this season. She also dropped 12 points, two assists and three rebounds in the Huskies' 92-57 win over Marquette, which was their last game of the regular season.

Having watched her closely, Paige Bueckers discussed why it is a good thing that Fudd is playing her best basketball ahead of the playoffs. The 6-foot guard spoke about Fudd in an interview with Yahoo Sports on Tuesday.

“Yeah, extremely fun, extremely rewarding,” Bueckers said. "We see how hard she worked, how much she’s overcome and how she’s still the same Azzi. Extremely hard working, extremely fun to play with. So yeah, just like you were saying, we all want to be playing our best basketball at the right time.”

The Hopkins, Minnesota, native also added that it is important Fudd and the team keep up the momentum as they go for the NCAA championship.

“I know she’s had a really great stretch coming up, so we just want to continue to keep going on that," Paige Bueckers said. "But we have full confidence in her and we love the way she’s playing. We are a better team when she’s aggressive, so it's been fun playing with her this year.”

Azzi Fudd’s future up in the air, while Paige Bueckers is set for WNBA

While the immediate concern for Fudd is the Big East championship, her future in college remains unclear. Fudd is in her fourth year and is eligible for this year’s WNBA draft. However, there is still a possibility of her staying for the fifth year, even though no decision has been made.

Fudd’s time in college has been hampered by injuries, suffering a torn ACL twice. As a result, she could decide to make up for the time lost by picking the fifth-year option in college.

Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers is playing her final season at UConn. The star guard is tipped to be selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. The Dallas Wings have the first pick in the draft, with outlets like ESPN expecting them to go for Bueckers.