Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd were college teammates at UConn, but they've known each other longer than that. The pair grew up playing against one another in youth leagues and tournaments, and Bueckers played a memorable role in convincing Fudd (and her family) she should choose the Huskies.
Bueckers also made have played a role in Fudd being drafted to the Dallas Wings—but not in the way that many speculated about after Fudd went No. 1 this year. If Bueckers had the ability to make any kind of contribution ahead of the team's draft decision, it was likely limited to sharing what she experienced playing alongside Fudd for Geno Auriemma. The Wings' head coach Jose Fernandez is also friendly with Auriemma, and likely had plenty of conversations about the decision before it was made final.
But all of that is in the past. What's happening in the present is that Fudd and Bueckers are shifting the narrative about what it means when two college teammates are reunited in the WNBA. And, like they've done so many times before, they're writing it on their own terms, one game at a time.
The Dallas Wings are having a big season
Anyone who watched the 2025 WNBA season knew that the Wings needed to make changes before 2026 began. That started with replacing then-head coach Chris Koclanes, who often seemed in over his head while leading least year's team. It also meant navigating the draft wisely—the Wings drafted Bueckers as the first overall pick in 2025, and were again awarded the first pick in 2026.
While some thought the team might choose Olivia Miles or Awa Fam with their selection, it seemed clear that Fudd was the frontrunner. Representatives for the Wings were spotted at UConn games during the WNBA offseason, and, perhaps less importantly, for a lot of people Dallas always seemed like the best place for Fudd to be.
Now Fudd is proving that's true, and she's able to do that with her college teammate by her side. The dynamic between the pair was most recently illustrated when they were told their assists numbers following the Wings' 85-70 win over the Connecticut Sun. Four of Bueckers' five assists were to Fudd, and three of Fudd's four assists went to Bueckers.
While it's not a big surprise that Fudd and Bueckers are finding new ways to keep lighting up the court together, the duo are shifting a precedent—while former college teammates have played on the same WNBA team before, they're the two who have so far had the best success while doing so. And though they could each move to other WNBA teams before their rookie contracts are up, odds are Dallas wants to keep them (and that they want to stay).
Add us as a preferred source on Google