Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers drew a hard line on her relationship with No.1 overall draft pick Azzi Fudd.
On Monday, during the Wings' media day, Bueckers used her opening statement to address her relationship with Fudd. Bueckers said she planned to address it once with the media and the pair would decide to share moving forward as they saw fit.
"Me and Azzi have always been the utmost professional. We've always conducted ourselves as such, and we'd never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court," Bueckers said. "And that's what we continue to do.
"We've been doing this for a long time. ... So we will continue to use that experience to show up and be professionals, teammates, great leaders − great leaders, the hardest workers and continue to show up and do our job and help the Dallas Wings win basketball games."
2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2025: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2024: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Iowa)2023: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (South Carolina)2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (Kentucky)2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings (Texas)2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (Oregon)2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (Notre Dame)2018: A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (South Carolina)2017: Kelsey Plum, San Antonio Stars (Washington)2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Notre Dame)2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (Stanford)2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (Baylor)2012: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks (Stanford)2011: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Connecticut)2010: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun (Connecticut)2009: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (Louisville)2008: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (Tennessee)2007: Lindsey Harding, Phoenix Mercury (Duke)2006: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx (LSU)2005: Janel McCarville, Charlotte Sting (Minnesota)2004: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (Connecticut)2003: LaToya Thomas, Cleveland Rockers (Mississippi State)2002: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)2001: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (Canberra Capitals, Australia)2000: Ann Wauters, Cleveland Rockers (USV Olympic, France)1999: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics (Tennessee)1998: Margo Dydek, Utah Starzz (Fota Porta Gdynia, Poland)1997: Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (Southern California)1 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)1 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2026: Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)2 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2025: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (Connecticut)3 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2024: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Iowa)4 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2023: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (South Carolina)5 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (Kentucky)6 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings (Texas)7 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (Oregon)8 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (Notre Dame)9 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2018: A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (South Carolina)10 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2017: Kelsey Plum, San Antonio Stars (Washington)11 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)12 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Notre Dame)13 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun (Stanford)14 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (Baylor)15 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2012: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks (Stanford)16 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2011: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Connecticut)17 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2010: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun (Connecticut)18 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2009: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (Louisville)19 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2008: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (Tennessee)20 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2007: Lindsey Harding, Phoenix Mercury (Duke)21 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2006: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx (LSU)22 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2005: Janel McCarville, Charlotte Sting (Minnesota)23 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2004: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (Connecticut)24 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2003: LaToya Thomas, Cleveland Rockers (Mississippi State)25 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2002: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)26 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2001: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (Canberra Capitals, Australia)27 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year2000: Ann Wauters, Cleveland Rockers (USV Olympic, France)28 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1999: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics (Tennessee)29 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1998: Margo Dydek, Utah Starzz (Fota Porta Gdynia, Poland)30 / 30WNBA No. 1 overall draft picks by year1997: Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (Southern California)Bueckers reiterated she understood the media has a job to do and will ask questions about the basketball aspect of their relationship. However, if the questions turn to their personal relationship, Bueckers said she and Fudd will refer to her statement on Monday or deflect to questions about their teammates.
Bueckers also said Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it and it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with who Fudd is as person and basketball player.
"Azzi is her own great, individual person and she should be celebrated as such," Bueckers said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paige Bueckers sets firm boundary on Azzi Fudd relationship