As the 2024-25 NCAA season is about to start, Geno Auriemma is prepping for his potential 12th NCAA title. The Hall of Famer coach has Paige Bueckers for the veteran leadership and supporting her are stars like Jana El Alfy, Sarah Strong, and Caroline Ducharme. However, if a certain UConn Insider is to be believed, then it is Azzi Fudd’s trauma bounding that plays an important role if Auriemma is to grab his next ring.

On Friday’s episode of Locked On UConn, Mark Zanetto took notice of a recovering Huskies squad and opined that Fudd’s experience with her teammates could turn the tides for them this season.

“That shared experience is what makes this UConn team kind of dangerous this year. They’re not just playing for themselves, they’re playing for each other, and understanding what they went through, not just last year, but in Azzi’s situation multiple years now. I’ve talked a lot about Azzi’s rehab and you know what that’s going to mean for the team.”

While the Huskies were top contenders for the NCAA title last year, occupying the second place in preseason polls, a list of injuries contained them. Al Elfy got hurt during the off-season which limited her chance to perform on the court. Similarly, Ayanna Patterson was out due to a knee injury. Fudd too could only ply her trade in 2 games after which she suffered a noncontact injury. Meanwhile, Ducharme was also suffering from neck issues and hence could only participate in four games.

“But let’s not lose sight of what this means for her on the court. The key for Azzi isn’t just that she’s physically ready to go. It’s that she’s finally in a place where she can enjoy the game. Like to me, that is so important for someone that is coming back from an injury in a game that they love,” Zanetto stated.

Apart from the injuries, UConn also left empty-handed as Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Storrs program in the Final Four of the March Madness. Therefore, according to Zanetto, it is this bond of experiencing highs and lows that can bring a difference. Meanwhile, Fudd has a history of injuries.

“Listen to her talk about the bond that she has with her teammates because they’re going through something similar in a way this could end up being a blessing in disguise. That all of these injuries happened for kind of coming into this year, and potentially being what bonds this team even more, and gets them over the hump for a 12th National championship,” Zanetto concluded.

Fudd has suffered multiple injuries since her freshman year with the Huskies in 2021. She had to miss 11 games in the 2021-22 season due to a foot injury. Then again in her sophomore year, she suffered knee injuries due to which she couldn’t play in 22 games. Therefore, Fudd hasn’t formed a bond this way for the first time.

We all know how close she became to Bueckers after the two rehabilitated. The 21-year-old in a recent statement had expressed the same.

Azzi Fudd shares her take on bonding

When Fudd was injured last season, along with five of her other teammates, naturally they couldn’t participate in basketball games. Hence, when the Huskies won their Elite Eight game last year, six of them (Fudd, El Alfy, Ducharme, Patterson, DeBerry, Griffin) due to problems in jumping and celebrating with the team, made a huddle in the side.

“The group that we have is really special… I feel like we’re so trauma-bonded at this point. To see everyone getting healthy, it’s just been so amazing, and I can’t wait. …I’m excited to play, but I’m excited to see my teammates play, and my teammates on the floor and not dressed in sweat suits on the bench. I can’t wait for that and I think what we do is going to be special. That’s just gonna make the year. We’re really gonna be playing for each other,” Fudd said in September following her second annual kids camp in Coventry.

In September, the Huskies also organized a camp where the players participated in helping kids learn basketball. This extra-curriculum would have only deepened their bond.

Therefore, according to Zanetto, the Connecticut-based team will have to rely on the chemistry of their players, if they want to win the title. Already there are problems abound including Bueckers leading the pack independently for the first time and UConn missing Nika Muhl. And to counter them, hopefully, their chemistry will turn the tides in their favor.