Azzi Fudd: 2019 Gatorade National POY

[UConnCat]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Well, as great as she is she didn't have the season Jones did. But she's clearly a media star now and that goes a long, long way.

 

[MSGRET]

Maybe she should talk to a few players who play for the Seattle Storm, you know Sue, Stewie, and KML.

 

[Vowelguy]

A SOPH is HS POY ?? Wow.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Haley Jones' senior season:

26 PPG, 12 RPG, 4.4 APG, 3.7 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 54% FG, 2.2 A/TO

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Come to UCONN

 

[Orangutan]

The article in that twitter link shows a photo of Azzi's phone with her season goals written out. Check out this one:

 

[Vowelguy]

Haley Jones' senior season:

26 PPG, 12 RPG, 4.4 APG, 3.7 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 54% FG, 2.2 A/TO

Arent stats at the HS level a bit meaningless given the very wide differences in talent/competition?

 

[CocoHusky]

The article in that twitter link shows a photo of Azzi's phone with her season goals written out. Check out this one:
View attachment 40846

That must have hurt like hell for you to point that out. Thanks!

 

[Orangutan]

That must have hurt like hell for you to point that out. Thanks!

Pointing it out was easy. It's the reading of it that was unpleasant

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Arent stats at the HS level a bit meaningless given the very wide differences in talent/competition?

Somewhat though both Jones and Fudd faced good competition, Jones probably better. I saw a few of Fudd's games and she was often in there most of the game. Perhaps Milford could chime in on that. Jones was often piling up her stats in half a game.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I think Fudd should've finished third among that trio: Jones, Bueckers, Fudd.

She has two more years to collect awards which seem in the bank at this point.

 

[VAMike23]

The article in that twitter link shows a photo of Azzi's phone with her season goals written out. Check out this one:
View attachment 40846

great catch!

 

[TheFarmFan]

East Coast media bias! (half joking, only half...)

 

[MSGRET]

East Coast media bias! (half joking, only half...)

Okay when you say "East Coast media bias" do YOU mean East of the Mississippi River or the Colorado Rockies? I get confused sometimes because Tark the Shark said once that you have to specific when you talk East Coast media bias.

 

[Husky fanatic]

1st Sophomore ever to receive award in Women’s basketball

 

[TheFarmFan]

Okay when you say "East Coast media bias" do YOU mean East of the Mississippi River or the Colorado Rockies?

Out in California, that's a distinction without a difference.

But I think most people out west feel like athletes who play in the Eastern and Central time zones get disproportionate attention because the media covers their games more extensively and said games are more likely to air during prominent time slots easily watched across the entire country. "PAC-12 after dark" football games often end around 1 or 2 a.m. EST - how many East Coast media voters are likely to be watching?

Even I often DVR Stanford WBB games on Friday nights because they often start around 11 p.m. EST and, as much as I love our women's team, if I'm up that late on a Friday it's because I'm out doing something fun, not staying up to watch basketball until 1 a.m.

 

[MSGRET]

Out in California, that's a distinction without a difference.

But I think most people out west feel like athletes who play in the Eastern and Central time zones get disproportionate attention because the media covers their games more extensively and said games are more likely to air during prominent time slots easily watched across the entire country. "PAC-12 after dark" football games often end around 1 or 2 a.m. EST - how many East Coast media voters are likely to be watching?

Even I often DVR Stanford WBB games on Friday night because they start often start around 11 p.m. EST and as much as I love our women's team, if I'm up that late on a Friday it's because I'm out doing something fun, not staying up to watch basketball until 1 a.m.

So you mean East of the Rockies just like the Tark.

 

[Bama fan]

Pointing it out was easy. It's the reading of it that was unpleasant

Great retort, my friend . A barrel of laughs.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The article in that twitter link shows a photo of Azzi's phone with her season goals written out. Check out this one:
View attachment 40846

Do the ND coaches not do something similar? UConn coaches have been doing that for years with recruits giving them goals and such while still in high school. Some of the recruits that signed with UConn talked about what Geno or CD set out as goals for them while they were still in high school.

 

[Golden Husky]

Pointing it out was easy. It's the reading of it that was unpleasant

Not easy when every game is on the road. You Notre Dame guys--Orangutan, Dillon, et al--conduct yourselves with dignity and class in what can be a very hostile environment and I (and I'm sure others) appreciate your input and perspective.

 

[JordyG]

East Coast media bias! (half joking, only half...)

Unfortunately the actual media today is the internet, meaning I have met the enemy, and he is us.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think any of the trio of Azzi, Haley, and Paige would be worthy.

Haley had a great season. No surprise there. When Mitty lost 2 games at the Nike TOC, it might have hurt her chances, even though there was illness involved, as I recall. Azzi’s team lost only once, also at the Nike TOC, by 3 to top-ranked Miami Country Day. SJC beat perennial powerhouse Paul VI, with the #5 senior Ashley Owusu. They also beat Bishop McNamara, who was in the top 6 nationally most of the season, 3x.

I’ve seen Azzi 1x as a freshman and 5x this season, including 4x in the post-season. She had 38 in the championship game, matching 28-4 Visitstion’s total. SJC played a tough schedule. I don’t know if it was better than Mitty’s, but probably comparable.

The easiest way to describe Azzi is by comparison. She’s maybe 1.5” shorter than Maya and not as strong or as good a rebounder. But she has a better handle now and probably a more accurate shot. Azzi is a trimmer version of Kaleena with better elevation. Imagine K as a high school senior but 15 lbs. lighter. That’s Azzi right now. She can get to the rim better than K could. She’s as good as K was when she was NPOY as a senior at Mater Dei. Her jump shot matches the legendary Lewis Launch. Azzi’s pull-up jumper is simply world-class, as good as Sue’s or any in the WNBA. She plays like a 20-year-old, despite being 15 or barely 16. She could be the next 3,000-point scorer and a multiple-time NCAA champion (at the right school).

Azzi is perhaps too unselfish and very much a team player. She wanted to win the championship for her senior teammates, who adore her. She plays in trademark pigtails and in some ways is just a very sweet 15-16 year-old girl. But she’s a killer on the court.

Here’s my dream UConn 3-point contest: Diana, Sue, Maya, Kaleena, and Lou. Add Azzi to the mix. She would be very competitive. She beat all the high school boys at the Steph Curry camp. The only player to beat her there was Steph, himself. Azzi wants a rematch.

Yeah, it’s highly unusual—as in never—for a sophomore to win NPOY. But she’s not a normal player and this is not a normal year.

Let’s see how she does up in NYC in the GEICO championship. I expect another step toward legendary.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not easy when every game is on the road. You Notre Dame guys--Orangutan, Dillon, et al--conduct yourselves with dignity and class in what can be a very hostile environment and I (and I'm sure others) appreciate your input and perspective.

If Muffet behaved like Dillon and Orang, I might actually like her.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Additional point on Azzi:

I’m not sure what her stats are. Can anyone find them? My guess, based on watching her, a few box scores, and some articles, is that she shot 60/45/90. She’s a born 50/40/90 shooter.