There’s no denying the gap Paige Bueckers left in UConn’s lineup this season. The Huskies’ star guard, their All-American, emotional spark, and face of the program, has moved on to the pros, leaving behind five years of grit and leadership that defined the team. “It’s a big adjustment, I think, for me, I think for the team,” Geno Auriemma admitted after UConn’s first official practice of the 2025–26 season. Now, expectedly, all eyes turn to Azzi Fudd to take the reins. She’s the reigning Final Four Most Outstanding Player, UConn’s sharpest shooter, and a natural presence both on and off the court.

Still, stepping into Paige’s shoes won’t be easy. Luckily, Azzi’s got her girlfriend’s example, consistent presence, and support to guide her through it. Speaking in an October 21 interview with USA Today, Azzi Fudd, PB’s sweetheart, revealed the secret sauce when asked about leadership lessons from PB.

“Yeah, I mean I’ve been able to learn a lot from her while she was at UConn and then watching her this past summer. But just learning, I mean, I feel like the way that she just carries herself. She’s a great person, a great teammate. The way that she leads, the way that she cares for her teammates,” Fudd said.

“So, she’s going to lead in like a personal way. So, she knows like, ‘Oh, I can talk to you this way.’ Um, I can talk to her this way and she’s always going to be there. It’s like I can push her this way and I can pick her up this way. So, I feel like what I learned from her was just the attention to detail that she had to things.”

No one knows Paige Bueckers like Azzi Fudd. They first met in 2017 while vying for a U16 National Team spot. Back then, Azzi thought, “This white girl got nothing on me, I don’t need to worry about her.” But rivalry soon turned into friendship. Since then, Azzi’s learned a lot from Paige, especially her powerful way of leading by example. And Fudd herself has already made it clear that a priority for her is growing her leadership skills this season.

“It doesn’t really come naturally to me, so I’m working on using my voice and making sure that other people hear me when I use my voice,” Fudd said earlier. “And I know that’ll be, like, baby steps to get a little bit better at that each day, but I try to think of it as, like, it would be selfish of me not to.”

In that sense, Fudd is right in following Bueckers’ example (in her own way). Remember Bueckers’ career-high 40-point performance in a crucial game last season? Her “energy and intensity” were contagious, lifting the entire group. But it wasn’t just her on-court efforts that mattered.

The Huskies were down by four at halftime in that game against Oklahoma. Everyone in the arena anticipated a comeback, and that’s when PB intervened. She spoke to the team in the locker room, pushing them to dig deeper and not give up. And they didn’t. Just two days later, UConn found itself in a similar situation. In the Elite Eight, USC had cut the Huskies’ 19-point lead to five ahead of the fourth quarter, but PB didn’t let their momentum carry into the final frame. She led the team huddle again, reminding them they were still in control.

As Ashlynn Shade recalled in an April interview with CT Insider, “She expects so much out of all of us, but she has, like, the biggest confidence for every single one of us that when she does need to get serious, we all listen and we accept it.” But of course, leadership isn’t just about game time. PB has even supported her teammates through personal adversities. For example, when her teammate Ducharme underwent treatment for injuries, PB flew all the way down to Florida to be with her. 

So, yes, great example for Fudd indeed. But Auriemma isn’t throwing all his weight behind one player.

Is Fudd under too much pressure?

A few months ago, when asked about following in the footsteps of her “best friend” and “partner” during an interview with ESPN, Fudd said, “Paige is going to be gone, so I can’t rely on her to speak and do all that [leadership] stuff, on and off the court. I will have to be in that position.”

So, she’s aware. She’s got the lessons, and she’s even got the pack. 

UConn is once again the team to beat in the BIG EAST this season. The Huskies were picked as preseason favorites for the 2025–26 title, with six players earning individual honors. Sophomore Sarah Strong grabbed the spotlight as the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, while freshman Kelis Fisher was named the league’s Preseason Freshman of the Year. Joining them on the All-BIG EAST Team were Azzi Fudd and Serah Williams, both unanimous picks, along with KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade.

So, with such a roster, why would Auriemma burden Fudd? He isn’t, he doesn’t want to, and he also knows that no one player can fill a Bueckers-sized gap.

“But it’s like when Stewie (Breanna Stewart) left, it’s like when Diana (Taurasi) left, it’s like when Maya (Moore) left, you know, or Tina (Charles), or you know, anytime you have someone that’s so dominant at their position, it takes some new getting used to, for sure,” Auriemma said recently, comparing Bueckers to the all-time greats.

So, KK Arnold will be running the show this season, taking over as UConn’s point guard now that Paige Bueckers is gone. Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and Ashlynn Shade will handle most of the scoring, with help from Caroline Ducharme and new transfer Serah Williams, who put up 19.2 points a game at Wisconsin. Kayleigh Heckel’s also joining in to share ball-handling duties and bring some of that defensive spark Bueckers was known for.

And again, when it comes to leadership, it’s not just on one person.

Fudd’s the natural face of the team now, but Ducharme’s voice has become just as important. Even though injuries kept her off the court the past few years, she’s basically turned into a mini coach who reads plays, knows exactly what the staff wants, and helps her teammates get there. During UConn’s open practice at Sacred Heart, she was even the one leading team huddles.

Strong might still be early in her career, but she’s already one of UConn’s most solid players. Geno’s been pushing her to speak up more in conferences, get comfortable leading, and she’s starting to do just that. And then there’s Arnold and Shade, still young but already proven. They’ve been the team’s backbone since freshman year, and now it’s their turn to set the tone for the next group coming in.