On April 13, many women’s basketball fans’ dream came true: UConn star Azzi Fudd was drafted by the Dallas Wings. The 2025 national champion’s fantastic college career earned her the No. 1 spot in the WNBA draft, and secured her a historic rookie contract of $500,000 for her first year. Oh, and did I mention, she’s going to be playing alongside her girlfriend and the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers? That’s right — the two former UConn teammates will be back together again!
Before we get into how exciting that will be for everyone’s favorite WNBA couple, there’s a few logistical things we need to get out of the way. First: Doesn’t Azzi Fudd need to graduate? Answer: She already did. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and is wrapping up her MBA from UConn’s business school. Next: When does the WNBA season start? Answer: While there are two upcoming pre-season games, the Dallas Wings officially kick off their season on Saturday, May 9, against the Indiana Fever — making this a short but exciting turnaround.Â
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into what you really came for — a romantic reunion. When Fudd’s name was called and she headed to the stage to accept her new Dallas Wings jersey, her teammates erupted with pure joy. Behind them stood Bueckers, clapping it up for her girlfriend and taking it all in. She kept it cute and calm, but we all know she was jumping for joy on the inside.
If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, you know their friends-to-lovers story is one for the ages. In fact, it’s thanks to Bueckers that Fudd committed to UConn in the first place. I’m sure fans everywhere are eternally grateful for her efforts — after all, they went on to win the national championship back in 2025!Â
Initially, Bueckers and Fudd kept their relationship mostly private, but after their hard launch last June — with Fudd’s phone case that read “Paige Bueckers’ Girlfriend” — they had everyone talking. Since then, Fudd has appeared at Wings games with an “I Heart PB” shirt on, and Bueckers proved just how well she knows her girlfriend in a rapid fire quiz from Wag Talk. On WNBA Draft night, Bueckers was cheesing hard while watching Fudd talk about how excited she is to play together again. And yes, the crowd went crazy — everyone loves them.
This isn’t just exciting from a romance perspective. Bueckers and Fudd are just as dominant on the court together as they are on their own. In their press release following the draft, the Dallas Wings called the couple “one of the most talented backcourts in recent memory.” They see each other as the yin to the other’s yang, creating a balance that is displayed on and off the court. That alone should get a lot of fans excited for the upcoming season. We’re sure to see some exciting performances with the two of them together again.