So of course, let’s discuss a potentially transcendent figure in college hoops.
Azzi Fudd from northern Virginia was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2021 class and by many accounts the most intriguing prospect in years. She’s a 5-11 guard with professional level 3-point shooting range and uncommon maturity and grace.
Fudd is a freshman at UConn, and her potential already has drawn comparisons to Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore.
Fudd won a 3-point shooting contest at Steph Curry’s camp at age 15, guys included, and she’s played for three FIBA World Championship youth teams. Curry told ESPN last year that she possesses as pure a jump shot as he’s ever seen and said that if you were teaching someone to shoot, you’d show them Ray Allen, Klay Thompson and Azzi Fudd.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma has tried to temper expectations surrounding Fudd, but said in the Hartford Courant that her footwork is that of someone preparing to be a pro. He said that her consistency is amazing and given her footwork and form, it appears that every shot she shoots is going in. She appears to have recovered completely from a severe knee injury she suffered in April 2019, when she tore both her anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.
Fudd’s name might be familiar to some in the audience. Her mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy, was a college hoops standout and professional player whose career was scuttled by injuries. She named her daughter after Jennifer Azzi, the former college and pro star who she admired. Her stepfather is Tim Fudd, the former American U. standout who played in the early ‘90s and was part of an inexplicably one-sided conference rivalry.
American and William and Mary were often within a spot or two of each other in the standings when both competed in the CAA, yet in a 15-year span AU won 26 of 31 games in the series (I believe that Nathan Smith still pisses off the site’s Pocket Pasha). [Fuckin' A right, Dave. Still not over the 2008 CAA Tournament.]
UConn figures to have a pretty fair backcourt with Fudd and Paige Bueckers, who as a freshman last season won Wooden and Naismith awards as national Player of the Year. They’ve known each other for years through AAU and national team play and were friends before Fudd decided to join the Huskies.
No telling if Fudd can help UConn win national championships again. The Huskies’ last natty was 2016, the longest drought since their first of 11 titles in 1995 – if you can call regular Final Four appearances, a national presence, and a slew of All-Americans a “drought.” Regardless, she and they will be worth a look. For the next four years.
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21 comments:
she's got a great name. we're gonna say it a lot over the next 15 years or so.
Rob, I think you're conflating your grudges. American departed the CAA in 2001. Still, impressive irritation.
shit. i meant 1998, when 7th-seeded american took out 2nd-seeded w&m with jimmy moran hobbled by an ankle injury.
She got game. Rob might be old.
I might be old too, as I just ran out of nerve only 1/3 of the way up the ladder to clean the gutter on the back of my house.
Look at it from a positive angle—you were 6/9 of the way down the ladder.
Good point.
Tr...next year going to be madhouse in Scotland and Ireland with essentially the last 1.75 seasons canceled and majority being rebooted for next year. Throw in new bookings and the result is little inventory. So if you are thinking about it, you should inquire this week. I'm guessing there will be no guaranteed times avail on Old Course for next 2 years.
Rebooked
Hey Rob, unsure about Moran in the '98 game, but Randy Bracy twisted his ankle late in the first half against AU and was unable to go in the second half. Less than ideal in a 5-point loss.
forgot about bracy's injury. that was another dagger. pretty certain moran entered the game hurt. box score says he didn't start, played seven minutes, didn't take a shot.
Danimal - don't mean this to sound mean, but my HS friends and I are still a couple years away from our 50th, so we have some time. But thx for the heads-up. It's a bucket list trip, and I can see why there will be pent-up demand.
Patrick Cantlay has some huevos gigantes. His ballstroking on 18 was epic.
And fun to root against Bryson, of course.
Good lord! These guys are 27 under for 72? That’s crazy.
I suppose TR is happy Bryson didn’t shoot 59. I used to have a visor signed by Al Geiberger “Mr. 59”. I never even managed to shoot 69 in my golfing heyday. Shot 70 once. Long ago.
Bryson's looking more like a villain with his behavior after shanking a makeable putt on the 3rd straight hole. He can't get away from 18 quick enough.
cantlay is doing the sam cassell dance in his head. goodness.
Yeah, that was epic stuff.
zdaughter shot an 87 last week including an ace on the 11th (at Barnacle Bill's in Ortley Beach).
zdamn, man.
on a wholly different topic, here's a conundrum for y'all. i lost (misplaced?) my driver's license a couple of days ago. it's the damnedest thing. went online today to seek a replacement license from the dmv, and in order to initiate the process, i need to provide my driver's license number. which...i think you understand my predicament.
No photos of it anywhere?
hmmm - that's a good question. i think i must've copied it for mortgage purposes.
Zman - thanks in advance for your Reilly Opelka preview ahead of the US Open. He’s two inches too tall, but seems like the American tennis hope we can all root for.
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