Stephen Curry has already made plenty of history throughout his 12-plus seasons in the NBA. Now, the Golden State Warriors star is helping one freshman phenom in the women’s college game make some history too.
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Azzi Fudd joined the UConn women’s basketball program following a highly-decorated high school basketball career. Fudd attended St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. and earned the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award in 2019, becoming the first sophomore to ever take the honor.
The 5’11 guard was also named the USA Today Player of the Year that season and was the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American in 2021. Fudd also won gold medals at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women’s Americas Championship and at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The 19-year-old was ESPN’s No. 1 recruit for the Class of 2021.
Fudd Becomes First College Athlete to Sign NIL Deal With NBA Player
GettyThe UConn Huskies huddle up during intros prior to the first quarter against the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four semifinal game of the 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome on April 02, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas.
Fudd initially connected with Curry prior to her sophomore year in high school when she was one of the first girls to ever attend the future Hall-of-Famer’s SC30 Select Camp – an “elite offseason training camp” – and won the camp’s three-point shooting competition. The next year, after tearing her ACL and MCL in her right knee and undergoing two surgeries, Fudd attended the camp again and won the competition again.
“Since I first met Steph at his camp a few years ago, I’ve stayed connected to him and have always admired his incredible talent and accomplishments, but also his humility and the impact he has on people,” Fudd said. “As I continue to focus on becoming the best player and student I can be while in college, I also look forward to broadening my understanding of business and life beyond basketball. This partnership with Steph and his SC30 team will help me do that. I’m really excited about everything we’ll do together in the future.”
Fudd is currently averaging 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds through her first four college games, while shooting 45.8% from the field (11-for-24) and 44.4% from beyond the arc (8-for-18).
Curry: Hope to ‘Inspire’ Athletes and Non-Athletes to Do ‘Amazing Things’
GettySC30 Inc. Founder Stephen Curry speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center on October 02, 2019 in San Francisco, California.
According to ESPN, Steph plans to “personally mentor” the Arlington, Virginia native as she “balances school, basketball and the demands of being a face for female athletes”.
“Azzi Fudd is the best choice to start a brand relationship like this because she is the next face of women’s basketball and has been a part of SC30 Inc. and the Curry Brand family since she was an invitee to the All-American Camp,” Curry said.
The second-leading three-point shooter in NBA history further explained why Fudd was a good choice for the historic partnership.
“Our values are aligned when it comes to family, and in terms of hard work and for the appreciation of blessings in your life,” Curry said. “For me, this is the right time because I have identified the platforms that I have, aligning purpose over profit, and the ability to collaborate with the right partners for the right opportunities. I want to be able to unlock that for Azzi, and for other talented athletes and influencers that see the world the same way I do. It is my hope that we can inspire the next generation of athletes and non-athletes who want to do amazing things.”
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