Paige Bueckers used her Monday media day in Arlington, Texas, to draw a line as her relationship with new Dallas Wings teammate, Azzi Fudd, was under the microscope.
Bueckers was quick to address that their relationship was “nobody’s business but our own.” Within hours of this response, former NFL linebacker turned FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho questioned Bueckers about her reservations in the media.
Emmanuel Acho Questions Paige Bueckers’ Media Narrative Around Azzi Fudd
After the “nobody’s business” comments, Emmanuel Acho argued that, as a high-profile figure in sports, she would be asked about it. Always.
“If you are a star that is involved in anything unique to people, you’re going to be asked things a lot,” Acho said. He ran through examples to make the point. LeBron James is constantly asked about his relationship with his son, Bronny.
He even brought in examples of Russell Wilson’s relationship with singer Ciara and Bam Adebayo’s relationship with WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson.
Acho highlighted that when you are famous and always under the public eye, your relationships and personal businesses eventually become major world headlines.
Then he turned the focus back on Bueckers. “Paige Bueckers, you’re a star, and you’re involved in something that is unique. You’re playing with your partner… #1 overall pick. Just don’t gaslight the media, as if the media is tripping for diving into and investigating something that’s unique and something that needs to be asked about. That’s my only issue.”
And this wasn’t the first time Acho publicly questioned Bueckers-Fudd‘s relationship. His earlier criticism cut directly to the Wings’ front office.
After a staffer cut off a reporter at Fudd’s introductory press conference on April 16, when she was asked about her relationship with Bueckers, Acho posted that the team was “babying” Fudd and that “WNBA contracts are larger than ever, exposure is at an all time high, take the muzzle off of journalists mouths and the pacifier out of the players’ mouths. Treat these women like the adults they are.”
How Bueckers Pushed Back on the Wings’ Draft Narrative
Acho’s commentary lit up one part of Bueckers’ presser. Another part of it deserved its own focus. It was the suggestion that Dallas drafted Fudd because of their relationship.
Bueckers was quick to shut that down on the spot.
“Azzi Fudd was a No. 1 draft pick because she earned it,” she said. “It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is as a basketball player, her resilience, her strength, and her career-best year at UConn. So, Azzi is her own great individual person, and she should be celebrated as such.”
Wings general manager Curt Miller backed Bueckers’ opinion, stating that the front office kept landing on Fudd despite his travels around the globe scouting the 2026 class.
“Obviously, the skill set speaks for itself, an incredible shooter, probably one of the quickest releases in the game today, a defender with a lot of competitiveness and toughness, and, ultimately, all the intangibles that goes along with Azzi in the locker room… [It] all pointed us through a very deliberate and thorough process back to Azzi Fudd.”
Fudd will earn $500,000 as a rookie under the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, more than six times what Bueckers made as a rookie.
The two went public in July 2025, having won a national title together at UConn earlier that year.
Dallas now opens its season on May 9 against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
