The Dallas Wings selected Azzi Fudd with the No 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, recognising her standout career at UConn, which included a national championship in 2025, All-American honours, and a place on the All-Big East first team. Yet much of the public discussion on draft night focused not on her basketball talent, but on her relationship with former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, whom Fudd was reported to be dating.
This emphasis on players' private lives reflects a broader issue in women's sports, according to observers. Frankie de la Cretaz, author of the Out of Your League newsletter, notes that while the WNBA has always been a culturally lesbian space where dating among teammates is common, the league's growing mainstream audience often imposes narratives that erase that context. 'The cultural context and history is erased,' de la Cretaz said, adding that social dynamics such as hookups and breakups are normal in such environments.
Dr Alicia Smith-Tran, an associate professor at Oberlin College, argues that the focus on romance is a form of marginalisation. Despite rising popularity, women athletes are still seen as lesser than their male counterparts, she says. 'The focus is taken off their skills and contributions in the workplace,' Smith-Tran explained, suggesting that such gossip undermines their credibility as athletes.
Social media has amplified this fixation, making it easy for fans to speculate about players' lives. However, for WNBA players themselves, relationships—whether public or private—are business as usual. The league is entering its 30th season, and as de la Cretaz puts it, 'for every couple that we know about, there are dozens that we never will.'
