NEED TO KNOW
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Azzi Fudd has been selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft
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She’ll join her girlfriend, Paige Bueckers, on the Dallas Wings
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Both athletes played college basketball for the University of Connecticut, and went public with their relationship in July 2025
Azzi Fudd and her girlfriend Paige Bueckers are staying together!
On Monday, April 13, Fudd, a 23-year-old Virginia native and former UConn Huskies star, was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She will be heading to the Dallas Wings — which just happens to be the same team as Bueckers, 24.
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“I’m excited to play again with Paige,” Fudd said while speaking to ESPN after the pick. The couple played at the University of Connecticut, and won a national championship together in 2025.
Cathy Engelbert and Azzi Fudd after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings, 2026 WNBA Draft
Credit: David Dow/NBAE via Getty
“She’s an incredible person,” Fudd continued of her girlfriend. “An incredible player, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
The room erupted in cheer as Fudd’s interview played on a large screen inside The Shed at the 2026 WNBA Draft in New York City. Bueckers, who was seated in the audience, was seen smiling as she watched Fudd gush about their future during her big moment.
PEOPLE also caught up with Fudd at the draft, where she shared the helpful tips she’s gotten from her peers, including Bueckers.
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“I feel like the advice has mostly been a combination of, one, soak this whole weekend in,” the athlete tells PEOPLE exclusively. “You know, it only happens once — it’s your moment — so really take it all in, try to take notes, try to learn, try to just enjoy the moment. And then going forward, be confident, stay true to yourself, do what got you drafted, and also enjoy that moment as well.”
The pair went public with their relationship in July 2025, the same year the Huskies won the NCAA National Championship.
Fudd and Bueckers have been a star couple from the start. They first met while trying out for the USA Women’s Under-16 National Team in 2017, then both made the team and went on to win gold.
It was also Bueckers who encouraged Fudd to commit to UConn.
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd
Credit: Azzi Fudd/Instagram
“Paige is the kind of teammate that everyone wants to play with because she’s so selfless,” Fudd told Glamour in August 2025. “The way she plays, she gets everyone involved. She’s also just a great player, so she attracts so much attention that it makes it easier for everyone else to get good looks and opportunities on the court.”
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During that same interview, Fudd opened up to the outlet about what it would be like if she ever ended up on the same WNBA team as Bueckers, or if they became rivals.
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“I definitely would love to play with her again; at the same time, I’d love to play against her,” she added. “I think it’s kind of a win-win. There’s no bad option.”
Like Fudd, Bueckers was also selected as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings.
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Read the original article on People
