Named to the Big East All-Freshman team in 2022, Azzi Fudd is taking advantage of the NIL space. Boardroom breaks down her earnings.
Azzi Fudd came to the University of Connecticut with a ton of hype as the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2021 class. After a freshman year that landed her on the Big East All-Freshman team in 2022, the guard came back this season and is averaging 15.5 points per game for the Huskies, a team that’s been hovering in the top 10 for much of the campaign and clinched another Big East Tournament title on March 6.
As much success as she’s finding on the court, however, Fudd is also benefitting at an All-American level from name, image & likeness (NIL) monetization — before even making her collegiate debut, Fudd had already inked endorsement deals with big-name companies (more on that below), and that list has only grown as she continues to show out on the hardwood.
Just how much has Fudd made in NIL earning thus far in her career at UConn? Boardroom breaks it all down.
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Azzi Fudd NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings as of March 8, 2023.
Women’s College Basketball NIL rank: 9
Total followers: 327,000
10-week high: $194,000
10-week low: $179,000
The above monetary figures are via On3’s NIL Valuation, a proprietary algorithm that “establishes the overall NIL market and projected 12-month growth rate by measuring two categories, Brand Value Index and Roster Value Index.”
Notable Azzi Fudd NIL Deals
Curry Brand
There aren’t many college basketball players in the country who are directly backed by one of the best in the NBA, but for Fudd, that’s exactly the case in her multi-dimensional partnership with Stephen Curry and his Curry Brand. And it’s not just that she’s reppin’ the Curry lines of shoes — although she’s unable to while on-court for the Huskies — but rather the brand sees her as the face of the future. Curry himself took it a step further and predicted Fudd will be “the next face of women’s basketball,” period.
“She will be the face of the women’s Curry Brand for years,” Steve Segears, Global Merchandising/Senior Merchant for Curry Brand, told Boardroom. “As she makes her ascent into the WNBA we can get even louder with some of the stories that she wants to bring to life.”
Nerf
Alongside superstar teammate Paige Bueckers, who unfortunately hasn’t been able to play this season due to injury, Fudd signed a NIL deal with the toy brand Nerf late last year.
This just looks fun.
BioSteel
We’ve seen some unique NIL deals make headlines during this era’s brief existence, but this BioSteel-Fudd partnership might take the cake. In addition to pushing BioSteel’s electrolyte-focused sports drink as a healthier hydration option, Fudd also receives equity in this partnership. And she’s in good company; other athlete equity partners include Patrick Mahomes, Luka Dončić, Christen Press, Ezekiel Elliott, DeAndre Hopkins, and Jalen Ramsey.
Other notable deals: Chipotle, American Eagle, TikTok
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