From Competitors to Teammates, How Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd’s Bond Has Transformed Over the Years

The University of Connecticut Huskies might be down because one of their main players Azzi Fudd is sidelined after a knee injury, but that does not stop their other point guard Paige Bueckers from giving her best. Bueckers has been instrumental in the the Huskies’ recent wins but still might be missing Fudd’s presence on the court.

However, only a few would be surprised to know that the two basketball stars share a bond stronger than that of random teammates. The duo in fact are very close friends and have spent quite a few years together before committing to the same program.

The Bond 

The two athletes have known each other quite well since their high school days. Shaking hands at the USA Basketball camp in a list of firsts, what comes as a surprise is that the two were trying for the same position. Initially, Fudd thought that she had an upper hand over Bueckers but when the latter unleashed her competitive spirit then it was a delight to watch her, not only for coaches but also for her competitor at that point in time.It didn’t take much time for Fudd to understand that Bueckers was a great player.

“I don’t really look like a basketball player as much as I am. She definitely underestimated me. I knew what she was. She was a bucket. But I guess it took a while for her to understand what I was,” Bueckers told CT Insider in an interview.

The duo bond so well that Bueckers had sent a compilation video of her best passes to Fudd and even joked that if both of them were open, the former would take a shot instead of passing the ball. The duo have only mutual admiration for each other. While Bueckers had previously helped Fudd grow over her nervousness during tough moments, Fudd admitted to having the same goal and work ethic to Bueckers. In the Virginia-born’s own words she was “I’m quieter, she’s louder” and their personality thus complements each other.

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Both of them also enjoy one-to-one practices at times and maintain a competitive relationship despite being close. In Buecker’s words they “hate losing to each other”. The UConn stars are so close that Bueckers even admires Fudd’s breakfast-cooking skills while Fudd playfully refused to share her favorite thing off the court about her teammate. Such is the beauty of their friendship – teasing, competing, and still being best buddies. That is what makes them special.

The Present

The bond continues even till today such that when Fudd tore her ACL and meniscus in her right knee during a practice in November this year, she took some inspiration from Bueckers. Bueckers had too suffered the same injury when she had tore ACL of her left knee in August last year. This caused her to miss the entire season of her junior year. With Fudd suffering the same problem and being set to miss her junior year, she took a leaf out of the Minessota-born’s book.

“Seeing her do all that has helped me stay on top of my stuff,” Fudd remarked as per Insider. Fudd even heaped praises on her teammate for following the recovery schedule diligently and giving her best to recover as soon as possible. “She’s been very, very diligent with being on top of her stuff,” Fudd said of Bueckers, “Having someone like Paige here really helps me stay on track with that kind of stuff.”

Other than being her teammate, it was their friendship that concerned Bueckers. The 2021 NCAA Player of the Year sent a flower bouquet along with a get well soon balloon to Fudd and had posted a story about the same back then with a caption “My strongest soldier”. Fudd was inspired from Bueckers comeback so much so that back when the UConn had played an exhibition game against the Southern Connecticut State, she had announced Bueckers’ comeback on the big stage.

Bueckers had by then recovered from her knee injury and was playing her first exhitbition game in a long time. Though, she only plied her trade during the first half, Fudd in a post game interview had heaped praises on Bueckers for “working really hard”. Fudd had also pointed out that Bueckers was the “strongest” players out there in the world. 

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With Fudd suffering an injury, Bueckers too would be wishing for her comeback and whenever she does, it will be a sight to watch the two on the court.