The introductory press conference for the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft supposed to be a moment of celebration. The conversation is typically about the success that is sure to come, and there’s an excited energy about uncapped potential arriving in the league.
That’s not what anyone will remember about Azzi Fudd’s first presser as a Dallas Wing.
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Instead, the conversation has been about what wasn’t said.
When Fudd was asked about whether she still has a romantic relationship with her superstar teammate Paige Bueckers, Wings PR didn’t allow her to respond, saying, “I understand why you have to ask that question, but we’re gonna respectfully decline from comments on our players’ personal lives.”
This question sparked mass hysteria on social media, with both sides arguing over whether the Wings PR was right or wrong.
Why was this personal life question not allowed, but other personal questions about Fudd’s bond with her mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy Fudd, who was also drafted into the WNBA back in 2001 by the Sacramento Monarchs, deemed okay?
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What constitutes a personal question that is okay and one that isn’t? Is it based purely on whether one feels comfortable with it or not?
If the romantic aspect of the relationship and Fudd’s comfort level discussing it are the key differences, then this was the perfect opportunity to make that clear, since she was asked the question directly on the record.
Instead, Wings PR didn’t allow Fudd to answer the question, making her seem coddled or overprotected, which is the last way you want to portray of your No. 1 pick during their introductory presser.
A “no comment” or “I want to just stay focused on the basketball and not talk about my personal life” response from Fudd would’ve been acceptable and valid. Not allowing a response gives credence, whether true or false, to conspiracy theories about media suppression, which sports journalist Jeff Pearlman speculated about on TikTok a few days prior to the presser.
What’s also odd about this situation is that there has been public acknowledgment of their relationship.
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Bueckers stated they were an item last year; they’ve also collaborated on advertisements, TikToks and podcasts. Paige was present when Azzi was selected first overall at Monday night’s WNBA Draft, just as Azzi was there for Paige last year. During Bueckers’ rookie season, Fudd attended a Wings game wearing a shirt expressing her affection for Paige.
These players are more than athletes, and they get asked a myriad of personal questions.
Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks talked about a lawsuit she filed when she was traded while pregnant. Former Spark Chiney Ogwumike and returned Spark Nneka Ogwumike discussed playing together as sisters, and on the NBA side, LeBron James and Bronny James have been asked about their father-son dynamic for over two years now.
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Regardless of one’s interest in these stories or angles, the journalists have a right to ask them.
Some may see romantic relationships as more personal and private than family ties or friendships, but these questions can contribute to feature stories that normalize romantic relationships between teammates, such as when Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, both then with the Chicago Sky, revealed what is it like to be married teammates or when Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, now with the Phoenix Mercury, have discussed their partnership.
Unless a question is truly out of line, vulgar or otherwise problematic, journalists should be allowed to ask, and the players should be allowed to answer on their own terms.
Asking about the Fudd-Bueckers relationship could’ve given us insight into how the Wings will build around a backcourt with strong chemistry and a personal connection, and how they’ll navigate it all toward their ultimate goal: a WNBA championship.
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Or, it could’ve been a moment for Fudd to clear the air and establish boundaries about what she would prefer remain private and what she is willing to discuss publicly.
Instead, avoiding a story became a story in itself. And it’s ultimately a negative one on a day that should’ve been marked with positivity.
