This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
WASHINGTON -- When James Wood found out his longtime friend, Azzi Fudd, was going to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Park, he asked her which jersey she was going to wear.
“I was like, ‘My own,’” Fudd said with a smile.
The University of Connecticut women’s basketball championship-winning standout guard was recognized by her hometown Nats on Monday. Fudd, the 2025 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, attended St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., with Wood before he transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
“This is definitely an honor, and I definitely feel special,” Fudd said. “Hearing that this was going to happen was super cool. But being here now, knowing that this is real -- [the Nationals] just gave me this personalized Nats jersey with my name and number on the back ... I’m so excited and I’m so grateful.”
Wood greeted Fudd on the field during pregame warmups, where both families were present to enjoy the moment. Fudd played basketball with Wood’s sister, Sydney; their fathers played against each other in college; and Fudd and Wood went to prom together in 2021.
“The whole Wood family is incredible,” Fudd said. “With James, we are always checking on each other, we're watching each other on TV. I think that's just a crazy flex to say, ‘I'm watching my friend, the guy I went to prom with, he’s playing professional baseball, he’s watching me.’ So it's super cool checking on each other, making sure we're doing well. I played with his sister, our parents have known each other for years, so we have a great connection.”
It is a friendship of 22-year-old athletes who already have decorated careers.
In addition to this year’s title honors, Fudd’s accolades include a 2025 All-Big East First Team selection, 2022 Big East All-Freshman Team member, three-time Gatorade Washington, D.C. Player of the Year (2019-21) and 2021 McDonald’s All-American.
Since debuting on July 1, 2024, Wood has earned an All-Star selection and T-Mobile Home Run Derby invitation while ranking atop the leaderboards in several statistical categories in his first full Major League season.
Fudd had never seen Wood play in a Major League game in-person; Wood hadn’t seen her throw out such a first pitch. Wood’s advice: don’t hit the ground but don’t throw it over the catcher’s head, either. Fudd delivered.
“She works really hard. She’s had that for a long time, and she’s really driven,” Wood said, adding, “It’s cool to see someone I’ve known for a while being really successful and seeing that journey.”