
WNBA's Paige Bueckers Confirms Relationship With Azzi Fudd, Social Media Salutes
Number one 2025 WNBA draft pick Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd were teammates at women's basketball powerhouse UConn, which took the natty this year. While they were viewed by the outside world as best friends, many women's hoops fans thought it might be more than that. Speculation only ramped up when Fudd sat at Buecker's family table on draft night.
Other clues followed. Fudd, 23, who remains at UConn for a final year as a graduate student, posted a video last month that suggested the two were together, following a popular TikTok trend about dating. It showed Bueckers, 23, at a restaurant with Fudd, seemingly okay paying for an expensive date.
Not long after that, Fudd was captured on her IG Story with a phone case that said 'Paige Bueckers' girlfriend.'
But just before the WNBA All-Star Game, taking place on Saturday at Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Indiana Fever and its superstar Caitlin Clark play, Bueckers finally made things 'IG official.'
In an interview with WagTalk, Bueckers was asked a series of questions about her Division 1 girlfriend. Though she stumbled on the question about what team Azzi's mother, Katie Smrcka Duffy-Fudd, was drafted to (correct answer – the Sacramento Monarchs in 2001) she answered all the rest correctly and confirmed Fudd as her girlfriend in the reveal.
So now the internet speculation can turn to numerous social accounts breathlessly covering the couple's every move, but this time with a confirmation.
And WNBA fans were ecstatic about the couple finally coming forward unapologetically, responding to the video with enthusiasm and praise for WagTalk creator, Maddy.
Bueckers played in her first All-Star Game, which will be broadcast and streamed from Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, July 19 at 8:30 p.m. EST on Disney+, ESPN+ and ABC.
See social media's response to the couple finally going public below.
WNBA's Paige Bueckers Confirms Relationship With Azzi Fudd, Social Media Salutes was originally published on cassiuslife.com

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Woman Meets the Love of Her Life on Romantic Getaway She Was Supposed to Take with Her Ex (Exclusive)
Sabrina Zohar, 35, dating coach and podcast host, talks with PEOPLE about her experience with the 'butterfly effect' When Sabrina Zohar packed her bags for a trip to San Diego in November 2022, it was supposed to be a romantic getaway. But days before Thanksgiving, her relationship unraveled — and so did her plans. A year prior, a promising opportunity to pitch her loungewear brand on Shark Tank had unexpectedly fallen through, leaving her in a dark place. In the aftermath, she fell into a fast-moving relationship that initially felt comforting but quickly revealed a deeper issue. 'After Shark Tank, I met this guy who I thought was everything I wanted; he was texting every day, we had the cute little nicknames and were doing all the stuff, and this all happened within a month,' Zohar, 35, tells PEOPLE exclusively.'Then my dog got sick and passed away ... and that's when I realized this guy just was not there for me. He would just stand there while I was crying hysterically and say, 'I don't know what to do.'' Zohar initially convinced herself that the relationship was meaningful because it appeared to be a good fit on paper — they texted every day, which was considered a 'green flag' on TikTok and social media. But when her dog died just before their holiday plans, it became painfully clear that her partner couldn't show up for her emotionally. 'I was at his house, and he just made a f----- up comment, and I just said, 'I'm done. I'm not doing this. You're not for me,'" she reminisces. "I left, I cried and I remember looking at my mom saying, 'We're going to go [to San Diego] anyway.'" Little did she know that her decision to go on the trip without him would change everything. Within days, Zohar downloaded Hinge and matched with her now-partner. They eventually went to dinner and 'the rest was history.' "All I kept thinking was, holy s---! Had I come down with that guy, I would have never [made] the decision to say, 'I'm going to do it for me and I'm not going to do it for anyone else,'" she says."It allowed me to be so open to meeting somebody who ended up being so beautiful, and such a great relationship for me," she continues. "But I would never have done it if I hadn't made that one small, inconspicuous decision: I'm not going to let this person ruin my trip. I'm going to go anyway." Today, Zohar is a dating coach who helps others break out of toxic patterns, tune into and prioritize their emotional needs — a career path she never would've imagined just a few years prior. But her journey, she says, is a real-life example of the "butterfly effect" — the idea that small, seemingly insignificant decisions can spark major transformations. Still, that shift didn't happen promoting her clothing brand around the time of Shark Tank, Zohar regularly appeared on podcasts and panels to build her platform. During one event, however, a friend suggested that she start her own podcast, pointing out how naturally she spoke about dating and dismissed the idea at the time, doubting anyone would care about what she had to say.'I had self-identified that if my clothing company didn't work, then I was a failure,' she adds. 'I really believed that I had to do this, and didn't allow myself to leave space for the universe to reveal something else, something bigger for me.' Looking back, Zohar sees the ripple effect of that mindset shift everywhere — not just in her love life, but in her career and sense of self. From walking away from her ex to going on the San Diego trip regardless of what had happened, each choice felt small in the moment, but paved the way for an entirely different future. 'I think the butterfly effect is a small decision that could lead to a larger effect. That's why to me, that one small decision of walking out of my exes' house and not trying to convince him, not trying to keep him and not trying to stay — that one decision of saying, 'F--- it, I'm going to go to San Diego,'' she continues. 'It's a culmination of small decisions that ultimately lead to a total transformation.' While the butterfly effect celebrates small choices leading to big change, Zohar is more skeptical of the idea that people are bound to one another by fate alone, especially when it comes to love. When asked about her thoughts on the 'invisible string theory,' the idea that certain people are cosmically tied together, Zohar has her doubts. 'My concern with [the invisible string theory] is that we put this idea in our heads that certain people are meant to be [in our lives]. What I think that does is [it makes] you force people to stay in your life maybe longer than they need to,' she says.'I've had that [happen to me], where I thought this one guy was my soulmate and [it] was meant to be. It was eight years of this — I held onto this guy for eight f------ years of on and off, back and forth, and he kept getting a new girlfriend.' Instead of clinging to what wasn't working, the 35-year-old dating coach and podcast host learned to loosen her grip and trust the universe. For Zohar, the "butterfly effect" isn't about one perfect, serendipitous moment or obsessing over what's missing — it's about staying present and open to what is still unfolding. 'Every single day means that we're one step closer to what is coming,' she says. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword

USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
Who is getting inducted to Baseball Hall of Fame? Ichiro leads global 2025 class
COOPERSTOWN, NY – They come from Appalachia; Aichi, Japan; Wampum, Pennsylvania; Vallejo, California; and Cincinnati, Ohio. They are sluggers, a slap hitter, an ace and a closer. The quintet makes up one of the most diverse Baseball Hall of Fame classes in history, including three Black players and the first Japanese-born inductee. Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, starting pitcher CC Sabathia, reliever Billy Wagner and deceased Dave Parker and Dick Allen all will be inducted Sunday, July 27, into the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in front of a crowd that could be the largest in history. 'It's an incredible Hall of Fame class," Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage tells USA TODAY Sports. 'These guys all come from different backgrounds and eras, but the thing I love about these guys is their respect for the game, and their place in history." CC Sabathia Sabathia, the 2007 AL Cy Young winner who won 251 games, is hoping that his induction will help pave the way for more young Black pitchers in the game. He will be only the third Black pitcher to be elected into the Hall of Fame with only 15 Black pitchers who have won 20 games, with David Price the last in 2012. 'The one thing that keeps crossing my mind is who's next?' says Sabathia, who is a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred. 'I'm on the search for who's next and what I can do to get that person or kid on the mound and going in the right direction." Sabathia meets with young players today in camps across the country, letting them know that if a kid like him can make it out of Vallejo, they can do it, too. 'Especially with where I came from, just knowing that I'm going to be someplace where the best that ever played have been honored," Sabathia says, 'is really amazing. When I was still playing, Reggie (Jackson) would tell me that having the Hall of Fame attached to my name would give me an edge in life. It's going to be amazing to finally get there.' Ichiro Suzuki When Suzuki arrived in Seattle in 2001, he was already a star in Japan, but he had no idea whether his success would translate to the United States. Well, 3,089 hits, 10 All-Star selections and 10 Gold Gloves later, and he helped open the door for three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the current crop of Japanese players in MLB. 'We're able to play this game because of players of the past,' says Suzuki. 'Baseball is human beings playing against human beings, and to have the passion and the energy that is created by that is something that I really hope is still part of the game. That's what I really value. It is very important to me that baseball continues to be a game that has the human element to it, with all the emotions and everything that comes along with having humans play this game. … 'If I can be of any help to the players, that's why I'm here.' Billy Wagner Wagner, who already is allotting time for interruptions during his Hall of Fame speech to wipe away tears, will remind everyone that he came from poverty. His dinners often consisted of crackers and water while growing up in the homes of different relatives with his parents divorcing when he was 5, and attending 11 different schools. 'I was just a poor kid," Wagner said, 'who didn't back down." Wagner will let everyone know that he'll continue to do everything in his power to help grow the game as a high school baseball coach, knowing it may not be the same as when he played, but the game still remains great. "Our game's always going to evolve,'' Wagner says, 'and there's always going to be parts that we like and we don't like. Every era has that moment. … But I think the game on the field is as great as it's ever been. But I guess the way we portray it, and push it forward, that's the biggest thing." Dick Allen Dick Allen, who died in 2020, represents the strength of fighting racism during his career. He received death threats playing in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the minor league team's first Black player, and was later pelted with batteries and garbage playing for the Philadelphia Phillies. Fergie Jenkins, who along with Bob Gibson were the only other Black Hall of Fame pitchers before Sabathia, vividly remembers the pain. They were not only teammates, but roommates in Little Rock. 'Dick was a real personal guy, I mean, he got along with everybody," Jenkins told USA TODAY Sports. 'Nobody ever bothered me, but then Dick bought a car, and I think that was the wrong thing to do. They bannered that thing all of the time. They were always putting stuff on it. There were people in the stands who didn't like him with name calling. 'It was just those times in segregation. We couldn't stay with the same players on the road. We stayed in a brothel one year in the summer. Another year we stayed in a funeral home. We couldn't eat in the same restaurants. We had to give our money to other players, have them order the food, and have them bring it back to us in the bus. 'I only stayed a month and a half. Dick was there all year. He never forgot it." Allen went on to become one of the greatest sluggers of his era, hitting 351 homers with a .534 slugging percentage, but his refusal to accept the bigotry and racial hatred in the country prevented him from getting the accolades he deserved. 'Dick Allen played the game in the most conservative era in baseball history," Hall of Famer Willie Stargell once said. 'It was a time of change and protest in the country, and baseball reacted against all that. They saw it as a threat to the game. The sportswriters were reactionary too. They didn't like seeing a man of such extraordinary skills doing it his way. Dick Allen was ahead of his time. His views and way of doing things would go unnoticed today.'' Says Gossage: 'He's the greatest ballplayer I've ever seen play in my life. There's no telling the numbers this guy could have put up if all he worried about was stats. He's the smartest baseball man I've ever been around in my life. He taught me so much about pitching and how to respect the game. He's probably the most misunderstood player in the history of the game." Dave Parker The shame is that Allen, and Parker, aren't alive to stand on the stage themselves to deliver their speeches. Parker, who died just a month ago from Parkinson's, let his son know just what he wanted to convey before he died. 'That's just heartbreaking," said Gossage, who was also teammates with Parker. 'Dave was one of my all-time favorite teammates. He was a true five-tool player. He was like Dick. There was not one ounce of BS from those guys." Parker's speech will remind folks of the leadership legacy he left behind. Sure, he was a fabulous player as an MVP, seven-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger winner, three-time Gold Glove winner, two-time batting champion and two-time World Series champion. Yet he will be remembered as one of the game's finest team leaders, guiding the Pirates to the 1979 World Series title while mentoring Reds stars Barry Larkin and Eric Davis in Cincinnati. 'The Pirates meant a lot to me," Parker said in a Zoom call after learning of his election in December. 'They were a great brotherhood, and they were always behind me. I could leave, come back, and everything is the same.'' Now, they'll be immortalized together, with Suzuki, Sabathia and Wagner on stage and Allen and Parker smiling from the heavens. They'll be enshrined in this beautiful hallowed place where Suzuki visited seven times, easily the most by an active player during his career. The next time he walks in he'll see his plaque inside the gallery room alongside his new Hall of Fame teammates. 'Ichiro would go all of the time and I always wondered why," Sabathia said. 'Now I know. It would have been super-motivating as a player. It's almost like a church. It's surreal to be in that room, especially now as a Hall of Famer, with my peers. 'When I walked in there, I almost came to tears. The way the sun beams through, it's almost magical." Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale Who is getting inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame? The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class features five inductees


USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
Broncos roster: WR Courtney Jackson (No. 89) could be a candidate to return kicks
Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at rookie wide receiver Courtney Jackson, No. 89. Before the Broncos: Jackson (5-11, 189 pounds) spent his final two college seasons at Arkansas State after spending 2019-22 at Syracuse University. As a member of the Orange, Jackson led the team in 2021 with 39 catches for 389 yards, earning an All-ACC mention from Pro Football Focus. Jackson transferred to Arkansas State in 2023, where he was a receiver and a punt returner. In 2023, Jackson had a 60-yard punt return and posted a 100-plus-yard receiving game against Texas State. In his Red Wolves career, Jackson had 81 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. As a returner, Jackson had 31 opportunities to run the ball back, returning the rock for 438 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons. Broncos tenure: Jackson was part of Denver's initial wave of undrafted free agent signings after the 2025 NFL draft in April. Jackson will make his Broncos debut during preseason in August. Chances to make the 53-man roster: Long shot. As two-time Pro Bowler Marvin Mims became more of a dynamic threat at wide receiver late in the 2024 season, the Broncos may be looking to have additional options at kick returner for the 2025 season. Therefore, although Jackson faces long odds to make the active roster, his return ability will help his odds. He might be stashed on the practice squad as a backup receiver/returner. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.