Basketball fans have spent years watching Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd turn into two of the brightest stars in the league, but one part of their journey stands out. Instead of focusing on the highlights, stats, or ticket sales, it’s something that shows the kind of people they are outside of basketball, and one former UConn athlete has taken notice.

During an interview with reporter Conrado Pascual, former Huskies guard and current Golden State Valkyries player Tiffany Hayes spoke about Bueckers and Fudd, as well as their off-court initiative, praising both of them for their continued effort.

“They work so hard,” she said, per Pascual on X.

“You can see on the internet, they’re working out with [Stephen Curry], working out with huge trainers all the time, just trying to get better. And you see them pouring into the next generation already, being as young as they are.”

What stood out to Hayes, who is connected to the pair through her alma mater, was the continued improvement that both Bueckers and Fudd have shown. The Curry workout that she talked about referred to an offseason workout that Bueckers and Fudd had with Curry and Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown in September 2024, which Brown posted to his Instagram.

Curry also had his trainer, Brandon Payne, a high-profile performance professional, work out with Fudd, and had a lot of praise for the young guard’s shooting, calling it a “textbook jumper,” and highlighted her ability to “stop on a dime” as well as her “feathery release.”

Curry and Fudd have shared a closer relationship, with Fudd having been part of his SC30 Select Camp at age 15, and Curry has shouted her out multiple times. Fudd also accompanied Curry to Chongqing, China, in 2025 for the debut of Curry Con, a camp organized by Under Armour.

On top of all of this, according to a report from Sole Retriever, UA not being able to sign Fudd was a major point of contention for him, considering his close relationship with Fudd, and that frustration played a big part in him eventually parting ways with the brand in 2025.

Apart from their drive to improve, Hayes also highlighted their attitude towards people they know, praising both of them.

“They’re two amazing human beings off the court,” she said.

“Anytime I run into either one of them, like they’re just great people; they’re checking in on people. They always are just looking out for people… It just goes to show you what type of people they are, and obviously everybody can see the type of players they are, but sometimes you can’t really see all of it all at once, but I know them personally, so it’s great to see!”

Hayes is now seeing her younger UConn sisters building their legacies in the pros.

Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd are Going From UConn Stars to the Next Generation’s Role Models

Bueckers and Fudd have already gone through an interesting journey together. Both came to UConn as top prospects in back-to-back high school classes and built an impressive three years together, including winning the 2025 national championship in Bueckers’ final year with the program.

The two of them then became back-to-back #1 overall picks in 2025 and 2026, even landing with the same team in the Dallas Wings, and have now helped the team lead a massive turnaround. Dallas won just 9 and 10 games, respectively, but they now sit at 24-16 this season and are set to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

Notably, their time on the court has not distracted either player from making a difference, as Fudd recently hosted her 10th annual Basketball camp this year, expanding to Washington, DC, as well as Dallas. These camps originated as a way to give back to the DC community and have also held events in Connecticut when Fudd was in college.

Bueckers has inspired the youth in other ways. In February 2026, she matched $50,000 in donations to a nonprofit, the Hopkins Strong Relief Fund, in her home city of Hopkins, Minnesota, to help provide the community with food, rent, and other necessities.

For Hayes, the players she saw develop from the sidelines are now beginning to become the players the next generation will watch.