Veteran Reporter Accuses WNBA of Pressuring Reporters to Ignore Fudd-Bueckers Relationship
Veteran sports journalist Jeff Pearlman has sharply criticized WNBA media coverage following the Dallas Wings‘ selection of Azzi Fudd with […]
Lucas Boland-Imagn Images Veteran sports journalist Jeff Pearlman has sharply criticized WNBA media coverage following the Dallas Wings ‘ selection of Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft. In a TikTok video , Pearlman highlighted what he alleges is a near-total silence around Fudd’s long-term romantic relationship with teammate Paige Bueckers , the star guard the Wings drafted in 2025.
He described the reunion of the former UConn Huskies stars—both on the court and in their personal lives—as “the number one piece of this story,” arguing that drafting Fudd effectively created a starting backcourt of longtime partners. “Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers are in a long-term relationship, and nobody’s mentioning it. And the WNBA clearly has asked people not to mention it.
And it’s very journalistically confusing to me,” he said . “Like, it is fascinating that these two people who have been dating for a long time, dating back to college, would be the starting backcourt for a team. To me, that is actually the number one piece of this story.
It’s not just that they drafted Azzi Fudd, they drafted Azzi Fudd to play with her longtime partner, Paige Bueckers. ” Pearlman Calls Out Journalistic “Blackout” on Fudd-Bueckers Romance After Dallas Draft Reunion Pearlman framed the situation as an “amazing” tale of young love and on-court chemistry, while acknowledging the risk of pairing romantic partners in a high-stakes professional environment. The relationship between Bueckers and Fudd, who played together at UConn and publicly confirmed their romance in 2025, has drawn limited mainstream attention despite Bueckers attending the draft to support Fudd.