The previous University of Connecticut colleagues revealed their break up on Friday’s episode of Fudd’s podcast and asked fans to stop sending out hostile messages to them and their households.
” Before we continue with anything else, Paige and I have something that we wish to show everybody, “Fudd stated. “We are no longer together. I do not understand how else to state that.”
Bueckers validated the split, stating the 2 had actually been separated for more than a year, well before Fudd joined her in Dallas in April.
” We were not together before she got prepared,”Bueckers stated. “So all of those stories can go to sleep. She was not prepared due to the fact that she was my sweetheart. She was prepared since she deserved it. She’s an incredible human, remarkable basketball gamer. And we’re still good friends. We’re still cool.”
Fudd’s choice in April had actually triggered significant attention to her relationship with Bueckers, who was herself the very first total choice by Dallas in 2025. The set ended up being the very first college colleagues to go No 1 in successive WNBA drafts given that fellow UConn standouts Tina Charles and Maya Moore in 2010 and 2011.
Fudd, an Associated Press All-American and among the nation’s leading outside shooters, assisted UConn win the championship game in 2025 before being chosen initially in general in a draft without a clear agreement top possibility. She rapidly made her mark in Dallas, striking 6 three-pointers versus the New York Liberty in May to break the franchise’s novice single-game record formerly held by Bueckers.
Paige Bueckers( left) and Azzi Fudd have actually validated they ended their romantic relationship more than a year ago however stay buddies and colleagues with the Dallas Wings. Photo: Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire/Getty ImagesThe attention surrounding Fudd’s arrival in Dallas showed a wider pattern in the WNBA, where gamers ‘romantic relationships have actually ended up being topics of extreme social networks speculation, sometimes eclipsing their achievements on the court.
At the Wings’media day in April, Bueckers attended to concerns about their relationship and rejected having any impact over Dallas
“Quite honestly, I think me and Azzi’s individual relationship is no one’s company however our own, and what we pick to share is entirely approximately us,”she stated.
“Azzi Fudd was a No 1 draft choice due to the fact that she made it, and it had absolutely nothing to do with me and whatever to do with who she is as a person, who she is a basketball gamer, her strength, her strength and her career-best year at UConn,”Bueckers included. “She must be commemorated as such.”
The set initially fulfilled at a USA Basketball camp in 2017 and played together for 4 seasons at UConn, assisting the Huskies end their nine-year NCAA title dry spell in 2025. Their relationship ended up being public in July of that year, when Bueckers described Fudd as her sweetheart throughout an interview with the TikTok program WAG Talk.
On Friday, Bueckers stated the speculation surrounding their relationship had actually caused unfavorable messages directed at both gamers and individuals near to them.avoid previous newsletter promo after newsletter promo
“We’ve seen a great deal of negativeness. We’ve seen a great deal of hate,”she stated.”We’ve had actually things sent out to us. We’ve had actually things sent out to our household, our good friends. ”
” I dislike that we need to resolve this, however simply to manage the story, there’s been some insane things stated about us,” she included. “Sometimes in life, there’s simply seasons. And often in life, 2 individuals are simply at various points of their life.”
Paige Bueckers (right) positions with previous UConn colleague Azzi Fudd after the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. The set were reunited with the Dallas Wings in 2026. Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Bueckers stated their separation had actually not impacted their capability to play together, keeping in mind that they had actually currently invested a whole season as colleagues after separating.
“We’re the utmost expert,” she stated. “We appreciate basketball and we’re still buddies.”
Dallas completed the routine season with a franchise-record 27 wins, a 17-game enhancement from the previous year, and reached the playoffs for the very first time given that 2023. They offered the ultimate champ Golden State Valkyries a first-round scare, pressing the series to a choosing 3rd video game.
Bueckers made her 2nd successive All-Star choice, while Fudd balanced 13.1 points in 30 video games as a novice and shot 39.7% from three-point variety. Fudd’s season ended too soon due to the fact that of a best knee injury that needed surgical treatment.
Bueckers stated the 2 would continue to support each other as buddies and colleagues.
“We still support each other. We are still going to be excellent pals. We are going to be excellent colleagues. We are going to be experts,” she stated. “At the end of the day, we still appreciate each other and desire the very best for each other.”
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