Azzi Fudd earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the 2025 NCAA Tournament after helping UConn women's basketball win its first national championship since 2016. She has also been one of the best shooters in the country for the last two seasons. Regardless of how the Huskies fare in the Final Four, the 23-year-old guard has left an indelible mark in Storrs, Connecticut. But Geno Auriemma believes she can become one of the greatest college players ever.

The legendary head coach and 12-time champ made the bold statement while emphasizing the pressure that Fudd faces in her final season at UConn.

“The hardest part is being a senior at Connecticut and knowing what that means and what the expectation for you is and carrying that around with you,” Auriemma told reporters, per the NCAA March Madness X account, ahead of Friday night's huge matchup versus South Carolina. “So many of our players have ended their careers cutting down nets at the national championship game, and you desperately want to be one of those people.

“If we win tomorrow and we win Sunday, Azzi will be crowned one of the greatest of all-time. If we don't win tomorrow, and we don't even get a chance to play on Sunday, she's going to feel like this was a disappointing year for her.”

Azzi Fudd is a Wooden Award finalist and widely considered the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, but gaining entry into the GOAT conversation is an extremely difficult task. One can argue that the All-American is not even the top player on her own team, with Naismith Player of the Year Sarah Strong having a strong case for that label. There are also several UConn women's basketball greats who have accomplished more and posted better numbers.

Fudd's legacy does not deserve to be diminished, however. She helped the Huskies reestablish themselves as a seemingly invincible juggernaut and has the shooting skills to become a highly impactful WNBA player. She has a special place in program history, but so do others.

Ultimately, Auriemma's proclamation does not matter much. Instead of reading into his GOAT take, it is probably best to focus on the larger point he is making in this press conference. UConn stars are under colossal pressure to lead their team to a title. The 72-year-old is trying to keep Fudd and company grounded ahead of a do-or-die clash with Dawn Staley's Gamecocks.

“Once we beat Notre Dame to get {to the Final Four}, to me, Azzi's job was done,” Auriemma said. “What happens here, that's all just bonus because getting here is the hard part.”

Azzi Fudd and UConn battle South Carolina inside Mortgage Matchup Center on Friday night, starting at appropriately 7 p.m. ET.