SPOTTED: UConn star Azzi Fudd makes an appearance at former teammate Paige Bueckers' first hometown WNBA game

UConn's sharpshooter Azzi Fudd was spotted at the Target Center on Wednesday. She was in the arena to cheer for her former Huskies teammate Paige Bueckers, who was playing her first WNBA game in her hometown.

Bueckers grew up playing ball in the Minneapolis suburb of Hopkins in Minnesota. She garnered national attention while hooping for Hopkins High and won three Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year awards.

Strictly BBall's co-founder Joe Doerrer was one of the first to capture Fudd's presence during Bueckers' homecoming. He posted a video on X where the guard was seen snapping pictures with fans.

"Azzi Fudd is in the building at Target Center to watch her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers in her return to Minnesota 👀," he captioned the post.

Even before the game began, college basketball enthusiasts praised Azzi Fudd's continued support for her former teammate. One of them took it a step futher by highlighting symbolic details in her outfit.

The fan pointed out that Fudd donned a necklace with "5" as a pendant, referencing Paige Bueckers' jersey number at UConn. She also donned a white T-shirt with the guards' SLAM cover printed on the front.

Bueckers got the ball rolling early in the game, garnering five first-half assists against the Minnesota Lynx. Fudd was seen rooting for the rookie while sitting next to Bueckers' mother, Amy Dettbarn. The Dallas Wings (0-2) are in search of their first win of the season.

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Geno Auriemma convinced Azzi Fudd to postpone her WNBA entry

Azzi Fudd could have been sharing the court with Paige Bueckers in the WNBA this season, as she was eligible to declare for the draft this year. Her stock was also at an all-time high as she won the 2025 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.

However, as Fudd contemplated the correct career choice, a conversation with Geno Auriemma convinced her to return to UConn.

"He said, 'I would say 10 games maybe you've played to your full potential of who Azzi Fudd really is, and so you wouldn't do yourself justice leaving,'" Fudd shared with ESPN.

""You would leave here not doing what you could in a UConn uniform.' I was like, 'Yeah, he has a point.'"

Fudd averaged 13.6 points on 43.6% 3-point shooting and 47.4% overall efficiency this season. She posted a game-high 24 points and three steals in the NCAA championship game against South Carolina while converting 9-of-17 attempts.