Dallas Wings PR shuts down reporter’s question to Azzi Fudd about relationship with Paige Bueckers

While the WNBA Draft came and went without any coverage of No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd’s public relationship with franchise cornerstone Paige Bueckers, this week’s introductory press conference did not go as smoothly.

Fudd fielded questions from local reporters alongside general manager Curt Miller and new head coach Jose Fernandez. Despite a prolific career at UConn, Fudd was not the consensus No. 1 pick on Monday, in part because of her questionable fit on a Wings roster that already includes Bueckers and four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale at the guard spots.

Immediately following the draft on Monday night, Miller said “Azzi was our pick, is our pick.” But neither he nor the ESPN broadcast addressed that Fudd is in a relationship with Bueckers, a fact the 2025 Rookie of the Year revealed publicly last summer.

So at Fudd’s press conference on Thursday, a reporter finally asked Fudd about the situation.

“Paige announced last year on TikTok that y’all were a couple,” the reporter said. “And I’m wondering if that’s still the case, and if so, if y’all have talked to other couples in the league about how they negotiate that dynamic as pro teammates?”

Wings PR immediately interjected before Fudd could answer.

“I understand why you have to ask that question, but we’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players’ personal lives,” the team’s rep said, off-camera.

Clearly, the team was prepared to handle any questions about the relationship in this manner from the jump. The statement is somewhat puzzling, given that the reporter was asking Fudd to address how she planned to navigate the circumstances, not for the team to “comment,” but the spirit of the team’s position is understandable.

Still, the reporter handled a tricky question pretty deftly, rather than prying for a viral headline, the question aimed to get Fudd’s perspective on how her relationship would (or wouldn’t) affect her career. That seems like fair grounds within the coverage of an athlete, especially in the fairly unique situation of a team’s top young players being in a relationship. As the reporter noted, players’ dating is not uncommon in the WNBA, and Fudd had not addressed the dynamic publicly yet.

The coverage of this story is clearly contentious, judging from the response online to this moment in the press conference. The right journalist ought to be able to earn the trust of Fudd, Bueckers, and the Wings in a manner that sheds light on the dynamic between the players without infringing on their privacy.

The Wings, however, are not likely to be able to shut down the line of questioning altogether.