 Azzi as the coach ofUniversity of San Francisco | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Las Vegas Aces | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1968-08-31)August 31, 1968 (age 57) Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 143 lb (65 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Stanford (1986–1990) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WNBA draft | 1999: 1st round, 5th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1990–2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Point guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | SISV Viterbo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | US Valenciennes-Orchies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Arvika Basket | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | San Jose Lasers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Utah Starzz/San Antonio Silver Stars | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2016 | University of San Francisco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stats at WNBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Jennifer Lynn Azzi (/ˈeɪziː/AY-zee;[1] born August 31, 1968), is an American business development officer and former basketball player and coach. Most recently, she was the chief business development officer for theLas Vegas Aces from 2021-2025.[2][3][4][5]
Azzi played collegiate basketball atStanford, where she wasnational player of the year and won theNCAA national championship in 1990. She played professional basketball from 1990-2003, including five seasons in theWNBA. She was the coach of theUniversity of San Francisco women's basketball team from 2010-2016. Azzi was inducted into theWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.[6]
Azzi was born on August 31, 1968, inOak Ridge, Tennessee. After receiving a scholarship, Azzi attendedStanford University in 1986 to study economics and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1990.[3]
Azzi playedpoint guard forStanford University'swomen's basketball team from 1986 to 1990. During her four years at Stanford, theCardinal compiled a 101–23 win–loss record,[7] and captured twoPac-10 titles.
During her senior year (1990), Azzi helped lead the Cardinal to theNCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, defeatingAuburn.[7] Azzi was named the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. For the season, Azzi won theHonda Sports Award, theWade Trophy, and was theNaismith College Player of the Year and theUSBWA Women's National Player of the Year.
Azzi began her professional basketball career in Europe, where she played for teams in Italy, France, and Sweden. When she returned in theUnited States, she joined theSan Jose Lasers of theAmerican Basketball League (ABL) from 1996 to 1999. She was one of the cofounders of the league.[7] Her participation in the league ended when the ABL declared bankruptcy on December 22, 1998.
In 1999, Azzi was selected by theDetroit Shock in the first round (fifth overall) in theWNBA draft.[8] She helped lead the Shock into the playoffs that year.[7]
Just before the 2000 season, Azzi was traded to theUtah Starzz.[7] She remained with the team when the franchise relocated toSan Antonio, Texas and changed its name to theSan Antonio Silver Stars in 2003.[7] She led the WNBA twice in three-point percentage, in both 1999 and 2001, and led the league in free-throw percentage in 2000.
In February 2004, Azzi announced her retirement from professional basketball.[9]
In 1988, Azzi was named to the Jones Cup team. The USA team ended the competition with a 3–2 record, winning the silver medal. Azzi averaged 5.4 points per game.[10]
Azzi was a member of the US national team at the 1990 World Championships, held inKuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The team won their opening round games easily, with the closest of the first three games a 27-point victory over Czechoslovakia. Then they faced Cuba, a team that had beaten the US in exhibition matches only a few weeks earlier. The USA team was losing at halftime, but came back to win 87–78. The USA team was behind at halftime to Canada in their next game, but came back to win 95–70. After an easy match against Bulgaria, in which Azzi hit three of four three-pointers, and scored a team high 13 points, the USA team faced Czechoslovakia again, and achieved an almost identical result, winning 87–59. In the title match, the USA team won the gold medal with a score of 88–78. Azzi averaged 4.6 points per game, and recorded 15 assists, second highest on the team.[11]
Azzi played with the USA at the1991 Pan American Games. The team finished with a record of 4–2, winning the bronze medal. The US team lost a three-point game to Brazil, then responded with wins over Argentina and Cuba, earning a spot in the medal round. The next game was a rematch against Cuba, and this time the Cubans won by five points. The USA beat Canada easily to win the bronze. Azzi averaged 6.7 points per game.[12]
Azzi was a member of thegold medal-winning U.S. women's basketball team at the 1994Goodwill Games, which was held inSaint Petersburg, Russia.
Azzi competed in the 1994 World Championships, held in June 1994 inSydney, Australia. The team was coached byTara VanDerveer, and won their first six games. In a closely contested, high-scoring game in the semi-finals, Brazil hit ten of ten free throws in the final minute to secure a 110–107 victory. The USA won a close final game against Australia 100–95 to earn the bronze medal. Azzi averaged 4.9 points per game, while recording 16 assists, third highest on the team.[13]
Azzi played for the US in a five-game Australian tour event in 1998, as part of the Goldmark Cup team. The USA and Australian teams had qualified for the 2000 Olympics, and agreed to play five games in five cities in Australia. The Australians won the first three games and the USA team won the last two.[14]
She was one of six core players selected for the2000 Summer Olympics inSydney, but withdrew herself from consideration to avoid the extensive touring.[citation needed]
Azzi became the head coach of the women's basketball team at theUniversity of San Francisco in 2010.[15] On March 8, 2016, Azzi lead the Dons to a 70–68 upset over the BYU Cougars in the WCC tournament championship game to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which was the Dons' first appearance since the 1996–97 season.[16] On September 15, 2016, Azzi stepped down as head coach of the Dons.[17]
From 2005 to 2008, Azzi served on the Board of Directors ofUSA Basketball.[16][18] Between 2010 and 2021, Azzi led Azzi Academy, a youth basketball program at Tamalpais High School.[19]
Azzi served as an associate vice president of development at the University of San Francisco (USF) and academy global director at the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 2017 and 2021. In 2019, she became a Golden State Warriors analyst at NBC Sports and served for two years.[citation needed]
In 2021, Azzi was named the chief business development officer for Las Vegas Aces.[3] In 2025, Azzi was replaced in the role by Lauren Thompson. The specifics of her departure from the Aces are not public specified and the Aces website no longer has her listed as an employee as of September 2025.[20] Azzi's partner, Blair Hardiek, is still listed as an Aces employee.
Source[19]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–87 | Stanford | 27 | 247 | 45.3% | 0 | 68.4% | 3.7 | 6.1 | NA | NA | 9.1 |
| 1987–88 | Stanford | 32 | 405 | 43.3% | 43.2% | 79.2% | 3.9 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 12.7 |
| 1988–89 | Stanford | 31 | 513 | 54.4% | 49.5% | 78.7% | 4.2 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 16.5 |
| 1989–90 | Stanford | 32 | 469 | 49.7% | 44.2% | 79.8% | 3.8 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 14.7 |
| Career | 122 | 1634 | 48.5% | 45.2% | 76.6% | 3.9 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 13.4 |
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
| ‡ | WNBA record |
Source[24]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Detroit | 28 | 19 | 29.9 | .514 | .517° | .827 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 10.8 |
| 2000 | Utah | 15 | 15 | 37.3 | .452 | .417 | .930° | 2.7 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 9.6 |
| 2001 | Utah | 32° | 32° | 37.7 | .408 | .514° | .917 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 8.6 |
| 2002 | Utah | 32° | 32° | 36.0 | .460 | .446 | .798 | 2.2 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 9.6 |
| 2003 | San Antonio | 34° | 34° | 33.4 | .403 | .402 | .785 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 7.6 |
| Career | 5 years, 3 teams | 141 | 132 | 34.7 | .445 | .458‡ | .845 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 9.1 |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Detroit | 1 | 1 | 40.0 | .154 | .167 | – | 5.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| 2001 | Utah | 2 | 2 | 37.5 | .250 | .286 | 1.000 | 1.5 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| 2002 | Utah | 5 | 5 | 37.2 | .394 | .368 | .875 | 2.6 | 6.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 8.0 |
| Career | 3 years, 1 teams | 8 | 8 | 37.6 | .310 | .313 | .889 | 2.6 | 5.9 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 6.8 |
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Dons(West Coast Conference)(2010–present) | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | San Francisco | 4–25 | 1–13 | 8th | |||||
| 2011–12 | San Francisco | 5–25 | 3–12 | 8th | |||||
| 2012–13 | San Francisco | 12–19 | 4–12 | 8th | |||||
| 2013–14 | San Francisco | 12–19 | 6–12 | T–7th | |||||
| 2014–15 | San Francisco | 19–14 | 8–10 | 6th | WNIT First Round | ||||
| 2015–16 | San Francisco | 21–12 | 9–9 | 6th | NCAA first round | ||||
| San Francisco: | 73–114 (.390) | 31–68 (.313) | |||||||
| Total: | 73–114 (.390) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
Azzi has been married to Blair Hardiek Azzi since 2015. Both reside in Henderson, Nevada with their two children: a son, Macklin and a daughter, Camden.[25]
{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)Awards and Achievements | |||||||||||||
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