The former UConn teammates and current Dallas Wings players addressed speculation about their relationship after Fudd joined Bueckers on the roster as the draft's top pick.
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have confirmed they broke up, saying the split happened over a year ago and that they were not together when the Dallas Wings made Fudd the first overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft.
The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the pair's relationship, which Bueckers had previously revealed began during her rookie season with the Wings when the two were still teammates at UConn. Dallas bucked draft consensus by taking Fudd first overall instead of Olivia Miles, who went on to win Rookie of the Year, a decision that reunited Fudd with Bueckers in the WNBA.
That reunion put WNBA media in an awkward spot, with outlets facing criticism over how to handle the personal lives of two young players now sharing a locker room. ESPN in particular drew criticism for not addressing the relationship during its draft night coverage.
Bueckers had already pushed back publicly on any suggestion that Fudd was drafted because of their relationship. With the breakup now confirmed to have happened more than a year ago, both players say the matter predates their current standing as teammates.