Paige Bueckers has said her relationship with Dallas Wings teammate Azzi Fudd is 'nobody's business but our own', addressing speculation during a press conference on Monday. The pair, who were college teammates at UConn, were reunited when the Wings selected Fudd with the No 1 overall pick in this year's WNBA draft.
Bueckers, speaking in an opening statement, said: 'Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi's personal relationship is nobody's business but our own, and what we choose to share is completely up to us.' She added that the pair have 'always been the utmost professional' and have never let anything off the court affect their play.
Bueckers, who was the Wings' No 1 pick in the 2025 draft and was named WNBA rookie of the year last season, said she would not discuss the relationship again. 'Me and Azzi are not new to this,' she said. 'We have countless reps at it. We have a lot of experience with it, so we will continue to use that experience to show up and be professionals.'
The guard also dismissed suggestions that she influenced the Wings' decision to draft Fudd. 'Azzi Fudd was a No 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me,' Bueckers said. After being drafted, Fudd told Dallas' WFAA that she was 'happy' to play with her 'best friend again'.
Wings general manager Curt Miller said Fudd was selected on merit alone, praising her as 'a winner, competitor, a hard worker' and 'one of the quickest releases in the game today'. The WNBA season begins on 8 May, with the Wings facing Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever on 9 May.
