From college to the professional league, now that Paige Bueckers has taken her game to the WNBA, it’s never too late to know a little more about her teammate-girlfriend Azzi Fudd.

If you were one of those fans who thought it all started with the famous phone case, you’re in the right place. Dallas Wings’ 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick, Fudd, met Bueckers in 2017 when both of them were trying out for the USA Basketball U16 National Team. 

“I watched her play, and I was like, ‘Oh, I have nothing to worry about this girl,” Fudd said at that time, per Daniel Connolly of the UConn Blog. “Like, ‘I have a better chance of making it than her.”

But luckily, both made the final roster and won gold at the 2017 FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship in Argentina.

This on-court chemistry bloomed into close friendship when Bueckers joined the UConn Huskies in 2020 and Fudd in 2021.

Rewind to 2022, when Azzi and Paige were in full social media overdrive together. The two were all over each other's handles, including that unforgettable meetup with Steph Curry, according to Samantha Olsen of the Cosmopolitan.

But the UConn years weren’t entirely a fairy tale. Both tackled multiple injuries before winning a title in the 2025 NCAA season. That concluded Bueckers’ final year with the Huskies as she transitioned into W as the Wings’ 2025 No.1 overall draft pick.

Amidst all of it, they kept things private but definitely not secret.

The Move That Gave It Away

According to the same Cosmopolitan article by Samantha Olsen, in 2025, Fudd broke the internet by posting a photo featuring the 'Paige Bueckers' Girlfriend' phone case on her Instagram story. A few weeks later, Bueckers confirmed the relationship. However, given how fast they clicked, it was really no surprise.

“Azzi ended up joining the team my sophomore year,” Paige said in their upcoming (August 21) Apple TV docuseries, The Dynasty: UConn Huskies, per Olson. “We kind of felt a spark a little bit different than what would just be considered a normal friendship.”

And Fudd didn’t hesitate to agree.

“Paige and I are a couple, and everyone close to us that was important knew,” she added. “But it was kind of one of those things...it’s not a secret, but it’s private.”

The classic friend-to-lovers, from UConn to the Wings, Fudd and Bueckers are going strong with the best yet to come, both on and off the court.

Follow Her Sports Nation for more.

Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Rudra Dubey