UConn freshman Azzi Fudd capitalizes on NIL, signs deal with Steph Curry
STORRS, Conn. — It was known early on in her prep career that Azzi Fudd was one day going to be a star. As the first sophomore to ever win the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award, Fudd’s star was set early and it has only continued to grow as she dominated for the Cadets her subsequent years, earning three Washington D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year awards and being ranked as the No. 1 overall girls basketball prospect in the Class of 2021, before taking her talent to the University of Connecticut. With the NCAA’s recent passing of the Name, Image and Likeness policy, Fudd has been able to step even further into the national consciousness with deals, but perhaps none bigger than her agreement to join Golden State Warriors’ star Steph Curry’s company SC30 Inc. in a deal she announced on her social media Dec. 1.
When I first stepped foot on the floor for SC30 Select Camp, I could never have imagined us teaming up like this. Excited for the opportunity to join @StephenCurry30 and the @SC30inc family and for everything we will do together in the future! I can’t wait to get started 🙏🏀 pic.twitter.com/v7N7QIHp2Z
— Azzi Fudd (@azzi_35) December 1, 2021
The deal is the first of its kind in the collegiate NIL world as Fudd became the first college athlete to sign with a professional athlete’s brand. The deal itself does not come as a surprise as Curry and Fudd have maintained a strong relationship since 2018 when the high school star was just one of two female athletes selected to participate in Curry’s SC30 Select Camp.
Thanks to @UnderArmour and @StephenCurry30 for the amazing opportunity to be apart of his @SC30select camp. I learned so much and had a blast! Met a lot of great people and made memories that will last a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/Teos7giU9j
— Azzi Fudd (@azzi_35) August 8, 2018
The deal is beneficial to both Fudd and Curry’s brand because of the value each provides one another. In the deal, Fudd gets the benefit of a mentor of Curry’s caliber while also building her own personal brand and professional knowledge through the NBA star’s connections and experiences. On the flip side, the Curry brand gets to benefit from one of college athletics biggest stars regardless of sport. According to a February report done by Icon Source, a digital marketplace that connects brands with professional and college athletes, Fudd was named one of the top potential earners for the Class of 2021 thanks in part to a social media following that includes 176,000 followers on Instagram, 30,900 followers on TikTok and 12,000 followers on Twitter.
With such a strong social media presence, it comes as no surprise that Fudd is one of the most sought after athletes in the realm of college sports. In addition to her deal with SC30 Inc., Fudd also is a brand ambassador for Chipotle, becoming one of the first two college athletes to do so, an athlete equity partner with BioSteel, joining professional athletes like Patrick Mahomes, Luka Dončić, Christen Press, Ezekiel Elliott, DeAndre Hopkins and Jalen Ramsey and fellow college athlete Miami quarterback D’Eriq King, and even worked with TikTok appearing in a commercial alongside NBA legend Allen Iverson.
Can you do the Khaby shrug? You have to see it! @tiktok_us pic.twitter.com/lRabl88heO
— Azzi Fudd (@azzi_35) October 28, 2021
While her off-court brand has taken off, her on-court career hasn’t been too bad either. Coming off the bench for the Geno Auriemma led Huskies, Fudd has appeared in four games averaging 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field in just 19.5 minutes per game. Unfortunately, Fudd will miss some time as she deals with an apparent stress injury to her right foot according to Auriemma.
With college basketball fans undoubtedly awaiting her return, Fudd will continue to prove the power of NIL deals for college athletes. As her play on the court continues to improve, expect to only see more of the former St. John’s Cadet star on screens in the near future.
