Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd confirm their breakup

Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have finally addressed the questions surrounding their relationship, confirming that they are no longer a couple despite continuing to share the court as teammates with the Dallas Wings .

The announcement came during the latest episode of Fudd's podcast, Fudd Around and Find Out, where the two basketball stars explained that their separation happened considerably earlier than many fans had assumed.

Fudd introduced the subject herself, making it clear that they wanted to put an end to the uncertainty rather than allow speculation to continue.

“ Paige and I have something that we want to share with everyone,” Fudd said on the podcast. “We are no longer together.

Bueckers then clarified that the breakup had actually happened more than a year ago, meaning the pair were already separated before Dallas selected Fudd with the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

“We were not together before she got drafted. So all of those narratives can go to bed,” Bueckers said.

That clarification is particularly significant because their personal connection had become a talking point when the Wings reunited the former UConn teammates in Dallas.

Questions had emerged about whether their relationship played any part in the organisation's decision to select Fudd , but Bueckers firmly rejected that suggestion.

“She was not drafted because she was my girlfriend. She was drafted because she deserved it. She’s an amazing human, amazing basketball player,” she said.

The announcement also explained how the pair managed to navigate an entire professional season together despite no longer being romantically involved.

Rather than allowing their private circumstances to affect their work, they insist that their friendship and commitment to basketball have remained intact.

From UConn champions to teammates in Dallas

Bueckers and Fudd have known each other since their teenage years, first meeting through USA Basketball before eventually becoming teammates at the University of Connecticut.

Their connection grew during their college careers, and they played important roles in helping the Huskies capture the 2025 NCAA national championship.

Bueckers was selected first overall by Dallas in the 2025 WNBA Draft, while Fudd followed the same path a year later. The Wings made Fudd the No. 1 pick in April 2026, bringing the former college teammates together again.

Their relationship had attracted considerable attention after Bueckers publicly acknowledged it in 2025 during an appearance on the WAG Talk TikTok show.

The pair had previously kept much of their personal lives private, making their eventual confirmation a significant moment for supporters.

When questions about their relationship surfaced during Dallas' media day in April, Bueckers had already made clear that she wanted to keep her private life separate from her professional responsibilities.

The team's media staff had also declined to discuss the players' personal circumstances during Fudd's introductory press conference.

Now, Bueckers has explained that there was no romantic relationship to complicate their reunion as teammates.

“We’re still friends. We’re still cool. We played an entire season together,” she continued. “We’re the utmost professionals. We care about basketball.

“Sometimes in life, there are just seasons. And sometimes in life, two people are just at different points in their lives,” Bueckers added. “We still support each other. We’re still going to be great friends. We’re still going to be great teammates.”

The pair also addressed the negative reaction and intrusive messages that have surrounded speculation about their private lives, asking supporters not to direct hostility towards their friends and families. They made it clear that the announcement was intended to settle the matter, rather than invite further scrutiny.

Their basketball careers will continue to bring them together in Dallas, where Bueckers has established herself as one of the franchise's leading players and Fudd has begun her own WNBA journey.

Fudd's rookie campaign included an average of 13.1 points per game before a knee injury brought her season to an early end, while Bueckers continued to develop after winning Rookie of the Year in 2025.

Ultimately, the message from both players was that their relationship has changed, but their mutual respect has not.

Bueckers and Fudd have confirmed the breakup, yet they appear determined to ensure that it does not define their professional partnership or overshadow what they hope to achieve together on the basketball court.