WNBA Team Declines to Comment on Players' Relationship

Dallas Wings avoid questions about Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers' personal lives.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:40pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a WNBA basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes, conveying the complex dynamics surrounding the personal relationship between two teammates.A cubist interpretation of the dynamic between two WNBA teammates whose personal relationship has become a subject of public interest.Dallas Today

In the aftermath of the Dallas Wings selecting Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, a reporter asked Fudd about her relationship with fellow UConn alum Paige Bueckers, who was drafted by the Wings last year. However, a Wings public relations staffer intervened and declined to comment on the players' personal lives.

Why it matters

The Wings' decision to avoid acknowledging the players' relationship has sparked criticism, with the reporter arguing that the team is "feeding an ugly narrative" by trying to hide something already publicly known. The WNBA has seen other high-profile player relationships, such as Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, but teams have varying approaches to addressing these situations.

The details

Last summer, Bueckers confirmed that she and Fudd were a couple. The two have been relatively quiet about their relationship, prompting the reporter to ask Fudd if they were still an item and if they would talk to other WNBA couples about navigating the dynamic as pro teammates. However, a Wings PR staffer intervened and declined to comment on the players' personal lives.

  • In 2021, Bueckers and Fudd were teammates at UConn, winning a national championship together.
  • Bueckers was drafted by the Dallas Wings in 2025.
  • The Dallas Wings selected Fudd with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

The players

Azzi Fudd

A UConn alum who was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, reuniting her with former teammate Paige Bueckers.

Paige Bueckers

A UConn alum who was drafted by the Dallas Wings in 2025 and confirmed last summer that she and Azzi Fudd were a couple.

Courtney Vandersloot

A WNBA player who got married to her teammate Allie Quigley while playing for the Chicago Sky.

Allie Quigley

A WNBA player who got married to her teammate Courtney Vandersloot while playing for the Chicago Sky.

Kevin Sherrington

A columnist for the Dallas Morning News who asked Fudd about her relationship with Bueckers during Fudd's introductory press conference.

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What they’re saying

“I understand why you have to ask that question, but we're going to respectfully decline from commenting on players' personal lives.”

— Dallas Wings PR Staffer

“Refusing to acknowledge whether players are still in a relationship after one of them went public about it a year ago suggests they've done something wrong, feeding an ugly narrative. What are we afraid of here? What are we saying when we try to hide something already out in the open?”

— Kevin Sherrington, Columnist

“If anyone's at fault here, it's the Wings, who invited the obvious question by drafting Fudd when they had other options, then acted as if they were covering for something that didn't need hiding. Bueckers and Fudd didn't deserve this. No matter what their status from here on out, I wish them better luck.”

— Kevin Sherrington, Columnist

What’s next

It remains to be seen how the Dallas Wings and the WNBA will handle questions and coverage surrounding Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers' relationship going forward.

The takeaway

The Dallas Wings' decision to avoid acknowledging Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers' relationship has sparked criticism, highlighting the varying approaches teams take when addressing players' personal lives. This incident underscores the need for open and thoughtful dialogue around LGBTQ+ relationships in professional sports.