Just months after guiding UConn to a national championship and making her professional debut with the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers has sparked headlines off the court. The WNBA rookie and 2025 No. 1 pick is now publicly acknowledging her relationship with longtime friend and former teammate Azzi Fudd.
But as Bueckers tells it, the moment of confirmation wasn’t planned at all. With smiles, candid remarks, and a viral moment in the mix, she shared how the relationship reveal came to light.
How Did Paige Bueckers Accidentally Reveal Her Relationship With Azzi Fudd?
Just ahead of the WNBA All-Star festivities, Bueckers opened up about her relationship with fellow hoops star and former UConn teammate Fudd, though not in the way she intended.
In an interview with People as part of her collaboration with Ally Bank, the 23-year-old Wings guard recalled how she ended up sharing more than expected during a playful video session for WAG Talk, a popular TikTok channel that interviews people about their significant others in the sports world.
“That was just a setup,” Bueckers said, smiling. “I didn’t even mean for that to happen, and here we are.”
The pivotal moment came when Bueckers was asked a string of questions about Fudd, 22, during a red carpet game called “How well do you know your D1 girlfriend?” Bueckers nailed nearly every detail from Fudd’s high school to the year she won Gatorade Player of the Year. But the final question tipped everything over: “Girlfriend reveal it’s…?”
Without missing a beat, Bueckers responded, “Azzi Fudd.”
IT’S OFFICIAL, PAIGE BUECKERS’ GIRLFRIEND IS AZZI FUDD 🥰🥵
Via wagtalk on TikTok pic.twitter.com/1UuoKNd7G7
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) July 18, 2025
While fans already suspected something romantic was going on, thanks to sightings of matching necklaces and cozy photos, this was the first time either athlete addressed it directly. Still, Bueckers maintained that the reveal wasn’t planned.
“It was kind of accidental, now here we are,” she said, referring to Fudd’s phone case that read “Paige Bueckers’ Girlfriend,” which fans had noticed in a June 2025 Instagram Story.
She added with a laugh, “We haven’t officially announced anything, but it’s just stuff has been happening that has it out there. So, it is what it is.”
How Long Have Bueckers and Fudd Been Together?
Bueckers and Fudd’s friendship goes back long before their UConn days. The pair first connected during a Team USA basketball tournament in 2017 and stayed close through high school, eventually teaming up at the University of Connecticut.
Their chemistry on the court was undeniable, and in April 2025, they helped deliver UConn another NCAA title where Bueckers averaged 24.8 points per game and Fudd added 17.5 points per game.
However, the signs of their romantic relationship began surfacing more recently. By June 2025, eagle-eyed fans had already started piecing things together. A viral Instagram Story revealed Fudd’s phone case that read “Paige Bueckers’ Girlfriend,” fueling speculation among supporters.
The clues continued building throughout the summer. Then in July, Bueckers added more fuel to the fire when she posted a red carpet photo of Fudd from the 2025 ESPYs on her Instagram Story, tagging it with three “hot face” emojis. And finally came the viral TikTok interview, a moment that turned quiet rumors into a public, if slightly unplanned, confirmation.
Paige Bueckers reposted this picture of Azzi Fudd on her Instagram story with this emoji 🥵🥵🥵 pic.twitter.com/ZVX34Ri8MJ
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) July 17, 2025
While Bueckers has taken her talents to the WNBA, where she was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Wings, Fudd has chosen a different route for now. She’s staying at UConn to finish her MBA and will return to the court for one final college season in 2025-26.
Despite their different paths, the duo remains closely connected. Whether on Instagram, in public appearances, or through small gestures like matching jewelry, they’ve given fans glimpses into a relationship rooted in years of friendship and shared ambition.
And if you ask Bueckers, none of it was part of some grand plan. It just happened, and Bueckers doesn’t seem to mind it at all now that her relationship status is public.
