UConn teammates Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers

UConn Huskies stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have been friends for a long time but have barely been able to play together for coach Geno Auriemma in the three years that they have been teammates.

In a clip by “Overtime” that was released four years ago, Fudd discussed her friendship with Bueckers.

“Even though Paige is my best friend, she is one of the most annoying people ever,” Fudd said. “She’s like a thousand siblings. Our friendship is very up and down, we fight a lot. With Paige, everything turns into a competition, it can be absolutely anything.”

“I know how to get under her skin, talk a little trash. Off the court, we joke a lot,” Bueckers replied.

Azzi Fudd and Paige Buecker’s unique relationship

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers have a long and storied history together, first meeting five years ago during a USA basketball camp and competing for the same position of shooting guard.

Fudd has admitted to underestimating Bueckers during the camp, and last year during an in-house UConn interview, Bueckers admitted the same.

“I don’t really look like a basketball player as much as I am,” Bueckers said. “She (Fudd) definitely underestimated me. I knew what she was. She was a bucket. But I guess it took a while for her to understand what I was.”

After being amazed at Buecker’s skills on the court, Azzi Fudd and Bueckers forged a strong relationship that culminated in the latter convincing the former to join the UConn Huskies.

Unfortunately for the friends, they have barely played together as much as they would have liked. Paige Bueckers has been beset by injuries, missing almost two seasons with ACL tears.

Fudd has also had various injuries, missing 11 games as a freshman and 22 the next season as a sophomore, limiting the duo’s game time together.

Fudd had an ACL and medial meniscal tears a few weeks into last season causing her to miss the entirety of the campaign.

Bueckers was the first to come to the aid of Fudd after her injury, and during an interview with ESPN, explained how UConn would deal with the damaging injury blow.

“Nobody’s going to be Azzi, but we can all do stuff that contributes to filling her void and making sure that we’re accounting for her and doing all the little things,” Bueckers said.

Paige Bueckers finished last season as one of the best players in college basketball, once again averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists and leading the Huskies to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

Bueckers unexpectedly declared that she would be returning for a fifth year in college basketball as opposed to declaring for the WNBA Draft, and Huskies fans will hope that it’s finally the year that she gets to play with Azzi Fudd.