Wings Turn Azzi Fudd-Paige Bueckers Relationship Into Story By Shutting Down Question
The biggest storyline heading into the 2026 WNBA Draft was whether the Dallas Wings would select Azzi Fudd with the first pick.
Of course, a team's choice for the No. 1 pick in any draft is big news. But Dallas' decision was especially significant because choosing Fudd (which the Wings ultimately did) meant pairing her with star guard Paige Bueckers, whom she played with at UConn for four seasons.
The prospect of reuniting Fudd and Bueckers was about more than what they can do on the court together. The two went public with their romantic relationship last year. But there's less clarity about where their relationship stands right now because the two aren't speaking about it publicly.
Wings' Decision to Shut Down Azzi Fudd-Paige Bueckers Relationship Question Creates More Questions
Ultimately, Fudd and Bueckers' relationship is nobody's business other than their own. But that hasn't kept some from wondering how the answer either way will impact the Wings' locker room dynamic.
This came up during Fudd's introductory press conference with Dallas on April 16. At one point in the press conference, Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News asked Fudd, "Paige announced last year on TikTok that y'all were a couple. And I'm wondering if that is still the case, and if so, if y'all have talked to any other couples in the league about how they negotiate that dynamic as pro teammates?" per an X post from @sportingnews.
Before Fudd could respond, a Wings PR representative stepped in and said, "I understand why you have to ask that question, but we're going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players' personal lives." Fudd didn't end up saying anything in the whole exchange.
A reporter asked Azzi Fudd about her relationship with Paige Bueckers, but the Wings' media team said they won't be commenting on their players' personal lives. pic.twitter.com/iH3enGfoVE
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 16, 2026
There's no way of knowing whether Fudd asked the Wings to shut down personal questions like this in advance. But what's for sure is that by not letting Fudd answer the question directly and put it in the rearview, stepping in on her behalf will only raise intrigue and make this more of a storyline than it already was.
It's worth reiterating that women's basketball fans and media aren't entitled to be privy to Fudd and Bueckers' relationship standings. But denying that it's a part of the narrative and is a basketball-related ask given the dynamics is naive. And not letting Fudd answer a question about it on Thursday morning is going to make it even more of a talking point, to the point where it will likely be asked again eventually.
It's hard to imagine this topic getting new life is what anyone would have wanted.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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