Steph Curry protege Azzi Fudd joins Nike, continues Under Armour exodus
One of the biggest stars in women’s college basketball has left the Steph Curry brand for the biggest name in the shoe game.
UConn senior and presumed WNBA lottery pick Azzi Fudd announced on Friday morning that she was signing a Name, Image and Likeness deal with Nike and joining Nike.
Fudd was previously a part of Steph Curry’s SC30 brand, having long had a connection with the Warriors icon. She attended his annual skills camp for elite high schoolers as a prep superstar, and returned to Menlo Park last summer to take on the role of coach.
“It’s incredible to see just how much it’s grown, and how much is really put into this,” Fudd told the Bay Area News Group during the event. “And you know, his inviting an equal amount of girls, I think, is incredible and just shows the kind of person he is, and how he really means what he talks about.”
But with her SC30 deal having expired amid Curry’s own shoe free agency following his own split with Under Armour, Fudd decided to join fellow UConn teammate Sarah Strong along with several other elite prospects as Jordan Brand ambassadors.
Fudd was the MVP of the Final Four for UConn’s championship team last season, and she has not slowed down this season. Fudd is averaging 17.9 points per game and, along with Strong, has led the Huskies to a 31-0 record.
She will wear Jordan-branded shoes when she is a high WNBA draft pick next month, assuming the league and player’s union can come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
“To wear the same logo that so many legends have worn is something I don’t take lightly,” Fudd said in a statement released by Jordan Brand. “For me, it’s about honoring that legacy while also helping show what the next generation of women’s basketball looks like.”
While Fudd is locked in with Nike, Curry’s options are still open.
He has been seen wearing everything from Kobe’s and Sabrina Ionescu’s (Nike) to Klay Thompson’s shoes (Anta) to a host of other kicks. Curry has said he will take as much time as he needs before deciding which brand to partner with.
Warriors injury updates
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Seth Curry (sciatica) were both listed as “questionable” for the Warriors’ game on Saturday against the Thunder. Porzingis has sat out the past six games with an unspecified illness, and Curry has not played since Dec. 4, but participated in pregame shooting drills before the Warriors’ victory over the Rockets.
Will Richard (ankle) was also listed as questionable, while Gary Payton II was upgraded to probable as he also deals with ankle issues. Moses Moody remained out with a sprained right wrist.