Azzi Fudd has an emotional response after Paige Bueckers includes her in official UConn goodbye

The 2025-26 season will be the first Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers play without one another in at least four years — a fact that doesn't appear to be lost on either of them.

On April 22 Bueckrers shared a series of photos from her time at UConn on Instagram. "UConn Nation, where do I even begin," she started the caption. "These past 5 years have been some of the most rewarding, challenging and Blessed years of my life."

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"From the relationships that will last a lifetime, memories and experiences I’ll never forget, and a growing in Faith that has changed my life," she continued. "The support and love has meant everything to me and I wouldn’t have been able to make it through without it. From all my sisters that I played with, to everyone in the program you are all family for life. Storrs, Connecticut will always be my second home and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m forever indebted and all I can say is THANK YOU💙"

The first photo was UConn Coach Geno Auriemma and Bueckers embracing after she finished he team's championship-winning game at the Final Four. Other photos included snaps of Bueckers in the team's locker room, warming up before the game, and embracing her teammates — including a photo of just her and Fudd.

Fudd shared that photo in her own Instagram Story and added two simple emoji: "💗🥹."

Both Bueckers and Fudd have big years ahead of them; Bueckers will begin her first professional season in the WNBA with the Dallas Wings next month, and Fudd will play her final year of collegiate basketball in Connecticut. But it seems very unlikely that the distance will do anything to dampen the friendship between the pair... and if Dallas plays its cards right, the team might even be in the position to draft Fudd in 2026.