Something is exciting about watching two young stars grow up side by side, through wins, losses, injuries, and everything in between. Until one day, you wonder if what you have been watching was more than “just friendship” all along. For those of you with a decent dating radar, you probably already know who we mean when we say Paige Bueckers’ girlfriend. And for all the devoted Pazzitors still connecting the dots, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered – with an insider (Brittany Hampton) on board today.
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd’s connection happened long before the bright lights of UConn. Their friendship began at a USA Basketball camp in high school. In fact, Bueckers once made a highlight reel of her passes to teammates and made Fudd’s parents watch it in hopes of recruiting Fudd to UConn. And well, her pitch and her campaign were pretty successful. But it has come a long way now, past just a common campus. Even after celebrating the Huskies’ win over South Carolina in the NCAA championship game in April and finishing up the school year, Azzi Fudd has frequently traveled to see Bueckers.
One of their road trips even came with the duo’s take on a viral trend that many think was a ‘soft-launch’. In May, Fudd posted a TikTok where she asked, “How much was it?” Paige, deadpan as ever, said, “$200.” Azzi then replied, “Oh, that’s not that bad,” prompting Paige to give her that classic undercover eye-roll. The one that screams, as Fudd’s caption said, “Princess treatment every time I’m with her”. And if that wasn’t enough to raise eyebrows, let’s rewind to one of the biggest nights of Paige’s life. Yep, the 2025 WNBA Draft. The big event that gave us a small hint.
Paige Bueckers went up to the table where Azzi Fudd was seated (away from her other UConn teammates btw, to be closer to Bueckers as many say). She leaned over to talk to her, and the second she got close, something shifted. Paige read Fudd’s words before she could even speak and cut in with a playful warning, “I’m mic’ed up! I’m mic’ed up!” Azzi instantly caught on to that hint and both shared a telling smile. Now, Brittany Hampton, who’s the stylist for Cameron Brink, Bueckers, and Fudd, gave us the BTS of what went on before the night.
“She (Paige) knew she wanted, rhinestones and just be iced out.” said Hampton. Brittany even recalled what she told Paige, “I don’t want you to look like a boy, iced out in the draft. I need you to look like a rock star, and she did.” And yes, Paige Bueckers was actually all blinged up, and she owned it. Hampton also revealed something else, though – how Bueckers and Fudd were styled to complement each other, “to be cohesive”.
“We also know that like they were going together, right? We knew they had to be a duo no matter what because their images were going to go viral. It had to be cohesive. And then Fudd was like, ‘what should I do with my hair?’ And I was like, ‘you really wanna know. Part in the middle, buss down.’ We’re doing it and they ate it up,” Hampton added. Hold up, don’t get too excited yet, they could’ve done it just for the aesthetics, right? What comes next will clear that up for you.
Cameron Brink mentioned that they’re both (Paige and Azzi) really good people. Hampton followed it up with a sneaky “that’s why they’re besties.” We’re not sure if people are buying that, though. As soon as Cathy Engelbert announced Paige as the #1 pick headed to Dallas, Paige hugged her “bestie” with the sincerest passion. This was just one night, but truthfully, we could go on. Because if you’ve been paying attention, there have been plenty of moments in the past that might have been soft launches.
Paige Bueckers’ not-so-subtle moments
Not much long after the draft night cues, Azzi showed up in a TikTok with Suni Lee and Anna Frey. She was doing a casual dance trend, all normal there. But sharp-eyed fans spotted something around her neck. It was a heart necklace with the number *5* on it. Coincidentally, that’s the same number Paige wears on her jersey. Random? The internet surely didn’t think so. Neither Paige nor Azzi has publicly confirmed anything, though.
In fact, back in February, Paige avoided personal questions in a GQ interview. She said, “I’m more just focused on basketball.” When asked about dating in general, she even added, “It’s a crazy world out here.” Still, fans haven’t stopped putting the pieces together themselves. Because there has been the hoodie situation multiple times. People have spotted Paige Bueckers wearing sweatshirts and pullovers that many believe originally belonged to Fudd.
And let’s not forget that comeback game where Paige showed up in Azzi’s No. 35 jersey, then went on to score exactly 35 points. Such a beautiful coincidence if there ever is one. On top of all this, Azzi’s social media activity hasn’t done much to quiet the speculation, either. She has liked and engaged with multiple fan-made edits that featured the two of them.
Fast forward to June 21. Azzi was courtside at the Wings vs. Sun game. She was wearing a Bueckers jersey and shared a warm postgame hug with Paige. The camera caught that moment, and it spread online instantly. But the biggest moment yet? That happened the same day. Azzi was wrapped in a robe, she held her phone in her hand, and posted a mirror selfie on her Instagram Story while getting her hair done. But nobody focused on the hairstyle. Her phone case seemed to read: “Paige Bueckers’ Girlfriend.” Some people pointed out the message might have actually said “Bueekers” instead, maybe as a playful prank? But most took it as the confirmation they had been long waiting for.
So, what’s really going on between Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd? At this point, the signs might as well be flashing in neon.
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