"This little white girl?": UConn's Azzi Fudd shares hilarious story about first encounter with now-teammate Paige Bueckers

UConn guard Azzi Fudd told a funny story about how she felt when she first met current teammate Paige Bueckers over seven years ago.

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, who first met when they were both trying out for point guard on the USA Basketball U16 team, were not initially close pals, but competitors.

Speaking about their first encounter, in a GQ article about Bueckers published on Feb. 25, Fudd said:

“I was like, 'Okay, I don’t have anything to worry about. This little white girl? I’ll make the team over her,'” Fudd recalled.

However, they both ended up making the team, helping the United States win the gold medal at the FIBA U16 America Cup tournament in Argentina in 2017.

Fudd eventually acknowledged that Bueckers had way more quality than what she imagined.

“She was a lot better than I thought she was,” Fudd said.

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Paige Bueckers joined the Huskies in 2020, a year after Azzi Fudd, and Fudd saw the potential in Bueckers' game right away.

“She can get a bucket literally whenever she wants, but she always wants to make sure everyone’s involved and we’re playing team basketball,” the 22-year-old Virginia native said.

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers' partnership hindered by injuries

Both players have had to overcome varying degrees of injuries during their time at UConn. However, while they have missed a host of games on the court, the duo have made their bond stronger during their injury recovery journey.

Fudd, in particular, has had her time with the Huskies blighted by injuries, having never played up to 30 games in any season, while playing only two games in 2023-24.

Both players have not gone unscathed in the current campaign, having nursed injuries at different periods.

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However, Fudd has managed to play 23 games, averaging 13 points, two rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while shooting 49.6% from the field.

Paige Bueckers has featured more times, playing 27 games for the Huskies. She has averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. The guard has shot 53.3% from the field.

Paige Bueckers and Fudd were both highly rated prospects before their college careers. Bueckers, from Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota, was the top recruit in the Class of 2020.

A year later, Fudd earned the same distinction after an impressive career at St. John’s College High School.

Looking ahead, Bueckers is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, while Fudd is projected to be a top-10 selection.