The Azzi Fudd Dilemma

[AzzisBraids]

Nearly 3 years and I honestly don't think we've saw the best of Azzi Fudd. We've saw her in segments, and when healthy, she looked like the recruit Geno raved about as being on par or better than Paige Bueckers. But we just haven't seen that and quite honestly, Bueckers looks a flurry of steps ahead of Azzi.

One offseason topic we have to address is Fudd's senior season, prospects in the WNBA and durability. When she's healthy, she's an elite player and Top 3 WNBA draft pick, but I've also seen the passive, turnover prone, pass up shot Azzi that has to lie dormant if she wants to contend as one of the top players next year. With Bueckers, Juju, Iriafen, Pao Pao and Hidalgo's of the world, I am hoping Azzi can stay healthy enough to showcase her talents. The dilemma here is she hasn't been able to for 65% of her UConn or high school career, time to shine Azzi like the star you truly are.

 

[Urshurak]

In my opinion, if she had been able to play the last 3 years, she would be at the top. Injuries have pretty much been her legacy unfortunately. If she shakes that injury bug off for a full season and shines, skies the limit. I really hope for her that happens.

 

[Bone Dog]

I don't see a dilemma. The facts seem more straightforward than that. Azzi has been injury prone the past two seasons and this has undermined her confidence. When she's had uninjured stretches, her confidence has been high and she' played aggressively. I hope she is injury-free this season and has an opportunity to show Paige (and the rest of us) what she can really do.

 

[Rb335]

The reality is she's played 42 games out of 112 since she arrived on campus. Thats 37.5% of games. I'd also argue that of those 42 games, she was 100% healthy in somewhere near half of them. The 6 game stretch to start her sophomore year being the best glimpse into her abilities. Reminder, she scored 26, 32 and 32 in the opening 3 games that year, two of those being top 10 opponents. The skills are there.

It helps me to remember that coming into this year, Paige had only played 46 games out of 103 games, or 44%. Eerily similar, from games missed, to timeline of injuries. Midseason sophomore knee injury, return to play for post season, ACL tear junior year.

If Paige was able to come back healthy, and get first team AA, there has to be the possibility that Azzi can regain similar health and game performance too. I'm rooting for her big time, and for this duo to finally share the court.

 

[hoophuskee]

When she's healthy, she's an elite player and Top 3 WNBA draft pick, but I've also seen the passive, turnover prone, pass up shot Azzi

No freshman is perfect.
How many games in her career has she been turnover prone?

 

[yhun89]

One of the best 3 point shots in the nation when healthy/slightly healthy. Knows how to move. She owned Texas and NC State last year. This year, she won’t have to we relied on as much with so many other good shooters.

Plus, from the looks of it, she really bulked up her knees/arms. They should be able to handle a lot more this year. But as mentioned before, we don’t need to rely on her as much.

 

[yhun89]

One of the best 3 point shots in the nation when healthy/slightly healthy. Knows how to move. She owned Texas and NC State last year. This year, she won’t have to we relied on as much with so many other good shooters.
*be relied on

 

[TCC Kid]

I don't see a dilemma. The facts seem more straightforward than that. Azzi has been injury prone the past two seasons and this has undermined her confidence. When she's had uninjured stretches, her confidence has been high and she' played aggressively. I hope she is injury-free this season and has an opportunity to show Paige (and the rest of us) what she can really do.

Recently I watch an old Clark Iowa game with Azzi leading. Aggressive except for lulls. Deadly from anywhere, pretty good on defense. If I'm a WNBA owner, I want a player that is ready, when she begins her career more than 65 percent of the time--or she better walk on water. That's this issue. Injury prone is NOT a great recruiting factor. If you want her to be picked in the top 10---leave the "injury prone" discussion for those spending money on her. It NOT a great selling factor.

 

[diggerfoot]

As one who pointed out two years ago that Fudd’s A/T ratio being under 1.00 as a reason that Muhl, not Fudd, should be the point guard her junior year, let me now come to Fudd’s defense in respect to turnovers.

In her sophomore year Fudd’s A/T ratio improved to slightly over 1.0, still not pg territory but, ironically, she did worse when used as a pg, such as that Texas game when she scored 30 but had 4/7 A/T. Her “dilemma” reminds me of Clark, tremendously skilled at everything but likely a better decision maker at shooting or off guard.

With Bueckers and Arnold on the roster I doubt we will see any use of Fudd as a pg and her improved A/T ratio will reflect that.

 

[TCC Kid]

As one who pointed out two years ago that Fudd’s A/T ratio being under 1.00 as a reason that Muhl, not Fudd, should be the point guard her junior year, let me now come to Fudd’s defense in respect to turnovers.

In her sophomore year Fudd’s A/T ratio improved to slightly over 1.0, still not pg territory but, ironically, she did worse when used as a pg, such as that Texas game when she scored 30 but had 4/7 A/T. Her “dilemma” reminds me of Clark, tremendously skilled at everything but likely a better decision maker at shooting or off guard.

With Bueckers and Arnold on the roster I doubt we will see any use of Fudd as a pg and her improved A/T ratio will reflect that.

At Uconn she may have been the PG, but she wasn't the "relied on" PG. There has always been a better PG on the floor with her. I agree with the high lighted line above. However, good to great decisions hide many other factors nicely, as Clark has shown

 

[diggerfoot]

At Uconn she may have been the PG, but she wasn't the "relied on" PG. There has always been a better PG on the floor with her. I agree with the high lighted line above. However, good to great decisions hide many other factors nicely, as Clark has shown

Clark had teammates that shot 53% at Iowa, which is phenomenally rare (indeed 8% better than Clark her senior year). A common BY lament is how even all-stars like Charles and Cash missed bunnies. No doubt Clark made her teammates better at Iowa, but those teammates made Clark better as well. So, as to your last sentence, good to great teammates hide some decisions nicely, as Iowa teammates have shown. Clark used as a shooting guard or wing in the WNBA, where teammates aren’t shooting 53%, might make her more of a MVP contender, take pressure off of her and make the game more enjoyable for her.

 

[oldhusky]

The reality is she's played 42 games out of 112 since she arrived on campus. Thats 37.5% of games. I'd also argue that of those 42 games, she was 100% healthy in somewhere near half of them. The 6 game stretch to start her sophomore year being the best glimpse into her abilities. Reminder, she scored 26, 32 and 32 in the opening 3 games that year, two of those being top 10 opponents. The skills are there.

It helps me to remember that coming into this year, Paige had only played 46 games out of 103 games, or 44%. Eerily similar, from games missed, to timeline of injuries. Midseason sophomore knee injury, return to play for post season, ACL tear junior year.

If Paige was able to come back healthy, and get first team AA, there has to be the possibility that Azzi can regain similar health and game performance too. I'm rooting for her big time, and for this duo to finally share the court.

Agreed, but IMO Azzi has only been healthy for 6 of those 42 games, which just adds to your point. The reason I say that is she was bothered by her foot her whole first year. In that 3pt shooting contest with Caroline she was wearing a boot before the season. That year she had some problems defensively as a result, and it was obvious she could not push off on that foot normally. In essence that season she was reduced to a spot up three point shooter, who rarely drove, and we didn't see much of the pull up jumper we know is so good.

By the start of the next season she was healthy, and thru the first 6 games against top competition she was playing like an All American. She was now a scorer inside, outside, pull-ups etc., not just a spot up 3pt shooter. After the injury she wasn't even close to the same. It showed up very clearly in the stats, I remember her PER (player efficiency rating) was a little over 30 after those six healthy games. she wound up in the low 20's by season end, which means she was probably around 15 (average) the rest of the season to pull the season average down that much.

She was a little over 20 that first year when I think she was never healthy, so I think both the eyes and the stats suggest she has only been healthy for 6 games out of the 42 she has played, and it may be a limited sample, but Azzi's performance those first 6 games of her second year is more indicative of what she can do with the big "if" she is healthy.

 

[HopJim]

When healthy, I saw a player many were rating as a National Player of the Year candidate. She was also playing solid defense, rebounding well for a guard, and passing well. Due to other player's injuries, she often had to play positions other than her natural shooting guard spot. What a great opportunity for UConn to have her competing for playing time. Some that see this as an issue must view the world through a different lens.

 

[oldude]

As others have stated, Azzi’s injuries have seriously limited her ability to shine on the big stage. There was a period during her freshman season when Azzi was healthy, with Paige and several other Huskies injured, Azzi carried the team, looking every bit as talented as Caitlin Clark. The TN game stands out. Azzi torched the Lady Vols shooting 7/9 from the arc.

If Azzi can get and stay healthy, gain back the confidence in her shot, maybe we can all witness her wonderful shooting ability again.

 

[yhun89]

Azzi is a lot more than a 3 point shooter as many have pointed out. Injury history isn’t a huge factor for the W, because tons and tons of players in there have ACL/Knee history. You don’t pass up on players like this because of injuries (her injury last year wasn’t even her fault, a ND player crashed into her knee.) So really, only 2 injuries were spontaneous (this year’s and whatever she had freshman year) rather than 3.

UCONN is a versatile team of girls. Azzi is no exception. Passing, shooting, mid range, driving, off ball moving, defense. That’s the full package right there and the W will most likely want her in the 1st round if she chooses to leave next year, which I doubt. At one point in time, I’m pretty sure her % from 3 was 44-45. That’s hard to pass up on considering teams in the W (like the wings) desperately need shooting.

 

[huskeynut]

And the big question will remain - can Azzi stay healthy? Second ACL surgery on her knee is not a good sign.

Don't get me wrong, I hope Azzi is healthy and can stay healthy the entire season. Not only for the team but for Azzi herself. Yes, we have seen glimpses of what her talent is. But can she sustain that over 30+ games. I really don't know. None of us do.

 

[yhun89]

And the big question will remain - can Azzi stay healthy? Second ACL surgery on her knee is not a good sign.

Don't get me wrong, I hope Azzi is healthy and can stay healthy the entire season. Not only for the team but for Azzi herself. Yes, we have seen glimpses of what her talent is. But can she sustain that over 30+ games. I really don't know. None of us do.

Geno won’t have to use her strenuously though. I think maybe part of the reason he recruited Allie is because he needed another versatile sharpshooter who could give injury prone people like Azzi and Caroline a break on the court. I know we were all wondering why he wanted more guards for the team, but I think this could be a solid reason why. Before, they didn’t have anyone who could sub for Azzi and produce like she could. But now, they might, and they can hopefully limit the time Azzi’s out there so her knee doesn’t give out.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[Bone Dog]

I love this game, have watched it a few times. Not Azzi's most dazzling, but it's clear that everything Duke does is with reference to her, trying to cope with her, hoping to head off the dreaded scoring outburst that will sink them. As a result, everyone else is given more space to do their thing and the Huskies run away with it.

But for sheer dazzling play, I like this highlight clip from the Texas game:

 

[CL82]

Man thid thread is full of people don't see the glass being empty, they don't see the glass at all. For the moment, it looks like we're gonna have a full roster. Some people will exceeded expectations some people may not but overall we're going to be fine.

For what it's worth, Azzi is more of a swingman than a point guard.

 

[yhun89]

I love this game, have watched it a few times. Not Azzi's most dazzling, but it's clear that everything Duke does is with reference to her, trying to cope with her, hoping to head off the dreaded scoring outburst that will sink them. As a result, everyone else is given more space to do their thing and the Huskies run away with it.

But for sheer dazzling play, I like this highlight clip from the Texas game:

The spacing is even better next season with PB Azzi Allie Sarah etc. Quadruple threat

 

[CajunHusky]

No freshman is perfect.
How many games in her career has she been turnover prone?

I have to agree with the op's comment: "but I've also seen the passive, turnover prone, pass up shot Azzi"

She has "disappeared" at times in really big games, and on the one hand you want her at the ft line if you know the other team will foul. But she has been easy to trap and turnover in those same big games.

 

[JellyBean]

I see no dilemma with Azzi at all. 1). She is still a generational talent. 2). She is a gifted player on both ends of the floor. 3). Sure, she has suffered some tough injuries in her playing career over the years, but you can't measure the heart of a player. I know folks like to bring up her comments about what she said about her confidence. Jerry West, one of the games all-time greats, suffered with his confidence on the court but he always stressed the point about having heart. That ability to bounce back, hang in there, fight through whatever you are facing and rise to the moment. I believe Azzi is in that same window. If I am a WNBA talent evaluator, I am keeping my eye on Azzi this season and the next, if she stays, because if Azzi can play the whole season or two, she is on my radar, and I am hoping that other teams are sleeping on Azzi because I am swooping in and drafting her. Also, with so much on paper talent, if the team is cooking like we think they can and everyone is getting 12-24 minutes a game, there is no need for Azzi to be other there playing 30-35 minutes a game.

 

[JellyBean]

Loved this game. Azzi was cooking in this one.

 

[HuskyNan]

The spacing is even better next season with PB Azzi Allie Sarah etc. Quadruple threat

Ashlynn and Q, too