Dallas Wings stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd announced Friday they are no longer a couple, revealing the split happened “over a year” ago, a bombshell dropped on an episode of Fudd’s podcast, “Fudd Around and Find Out.” This isn’t just a recent breakup, folks. They’ve been navigating their professional lives as teammates, having already played an entire WNBA season together, all while keeping this quiet from the public eye.
The Big Reveal: An Open Secret No More
Fudd kicked off the podcast with the straight-up news, telling everyone, “We are no longer together.” Bueckers confirmed the timeline, emphasizing it’s been “over a year,” a period that covers her entire WNBA season. She made it crystal clear they weren’t together before Fudd was even drafted. This should squash any whispers about Fudd’s No. 1 overall pick being tied to her relationship with Bueckers. “She was not drafted because she was my girlfriend. She was drafted because she deserved it, because she’s an amazing human, amazing basketball player,” Bueckers stated emphatically. The two maintained they are “still friends, we’re still cool” and operated as “the utmost professionals” throughout the season, focusing on basketball.
From College Teammates to Public Scrutiny
The history between Bueckers and Fudd goes back to a Team USA tryout in 2017. Their bond deepened at UConn, where Bueckers recruited Fudd, and they eventually began a romantic relationship. It all went public in July 2025 after they led the Huskies to an NCAA national championship and Bueckers went No. 1 overall to the Wings in the WNBA Draft. Just a year later, the Wings took Fudd with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, bringing the college sweethearts back together on the same pro team. The Wings front office and the players themselves were tight-lipped about their personal lives. At Fudd’s introductory press conference, a Wings PR staffer shut down questions, stating a respectful decline to comment on players’ personal lives. Bueckers echoed that sentiment at media day, saying, “Me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own.” She had even vowed not to address the topic again during the season. Well, that promise just expired.
What’s Next for the Wings?
This revelation comes as the Wings look ahead. Fudd’s rookie season was cut short after 30 games due to season-ending knee surgery. Despite her absence, Bueckers stepped up big time, leading the Wings to the No. 7 seed and their first playoff appearance since 2023. They were even up by 16 points in a winner-take-all Game 3 against the eventual champion, Golden Stat, in the first round. With the personal news now out in the open, the focus for Dallas will undoubtedly shift back to the court. The team’s immediate future means they must shore up their supporting cast around Bueckers. The drama might be public, but for these pros, it’s always about the game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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