INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd 35 looks to the sidelines during the women s college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and UConn Huskies on February 22, 2025, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 22 Women s - UConn at Butler EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2502201354
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd 35 looks to the sidelines during the women s college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and UConn Huskies on February 22, 2025, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 22 Women s - UConn at Butler EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2502201354
A short, six-word birthday post has fans smiling over a family joke that's been years in the making.
Azzi Fudd kept things short, sweet, and deeply personal for her father's birthday. On her Instagram story, the Dallas Wings guard simply wrote:
"Best T-shirt catcher in the game."
Butler V Connecticut Azzi Fudd 35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during a break in play against the Butler Bulldogs during an NCAA, College League, USA women s basketball game at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 07, 2026. Hartford United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xFedericoxTorresx originalFilename:torres-notitle260207_npQNZ.jpg
Butler V Connecticut Azzi Fudd 35 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts during a break in play against the Butler Bulldogs during an NCAA, College League, USA women s basketball game at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 07, 2026. Hartford United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xFedericoxTorresx originalFilename:torres-notitle260207_npQNZ.jpg
The message on her Instagram story instantly landed with fans who've followed the Fudd family for years, a loving nod to her dad, Tim Fudd, and a running family joke rooted in his over-the-top energy in the stands.
Anyone who's attended a UConn women's basketball game during Azzi's career has likely seen Tim Fudd in action. While most parents clap politely when promotional T-shirts get launched into the crowd during timeouts, Tim treats it like a competitive event, tracking the shirts with the focus of a former college player, reaching over rows when necessary, and celebrating every catch with the same enthusiasm he shows for his daughter's three-pointers.
Clips of Tim snagging shirts have circulated among UConn fans for years, some showing him rising out of his seat with perfect timing, others capturing him laughing off a near-miss or proudly holding up his latest prize.
Tim Fudd's connection to Azzi runs far deeper than viral moments. Despite being a former standout at American University, where he earned All-Colonial Athletic Association honors and later played professionally overseas, Tim has been a constant presence throughout his daughter's basketball journey.
He and Azzi's mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy, herself a former college player and WNBA draft pick, coached and trained Azzi from a young age.
Tim’s actual relationship with Azzi
Tim Fudd is Azzi Fudd's adoptive father and the only father she has ever known in any meaningful sense. He is not her biological parent, as per People.
Tim entered Azzi's life when she was roughly 18 months old, after he began dating her mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy. By age two, Azzi was already calling him "Dad," and he formally adopted her shortly after marrying Katie. The bond has stayed strong ever since.
Azzi has repeatedly described Tim as central to both her life and basketball development. In a Father's Day message highlighted by ESPN, she wrote that his support "means everything," crediting him for attending her games, coaching her growing up, and teaching her what it means to be a great teammate. After UConn's 2025 national title, she credited both parents directly, saying:
"They're the reason I'm playing basketball... shout-out Mom and Dad."
Do you think small, personal moments like this help fans connect more with athletes than highlight-reel plays do?
Written by
Zaid Quraishi