ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥� Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers said her relationship with teammate and will have no effect on what they do on the court as they try to turn around a franchise with a long history of losing.
Bueckers made a statement before taking questions from reporters during media day for the Wings on Monday at the University of Texas at Arlington, where the WNBA team plays home games.
The statement from Bueckers came 11 days after the Wings wouldn’t let Fudd answer a question about her relationship with her former UConn teammate during Fudd’s introductory news conference in Dallas.
The two went public with their relationship last year, after winning a national championship together in Bueckers’ final season at UConn, and haven’t addressed the status of that relationship since the draft.
鈥淨uite frankly, I believe me and Azzi鈥檚 personal relationship is nobody鈥檚 business but our own,鈥� Bueckers said. 鈥淎nd what we choose to share is completely up to us. But as media members, I understand you guys have a job to do. And you guys have to ask questions about the basketball aspect of it. So that鈥檚 what I鈥檒l be addressing today.鈥�
Bueckers, the , said the Wings drafting Fudd had nothing to do with her. After winning a title with Bueckers, Fudd’s UConn team lost to South Carolina in the Final Four this month.
鈥淢e and Azzi have always been the utmost professionals,鈥� Bueckers said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e always conducted ourselves as such. And we鈥檝e never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court.鈥�
Fudd met with reporters about two hours before Bueckers did on media day and wasn’t asked about the relationship.
Bueckers was a three-time Associated Press All-American at UConn, and Fudd joined that list last season. They were together for three seasons with the Huskies.
鈥淢e and Azzi are not new to this,鈥� Bueckers said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been doing this for a long time. We have countless reps at it. We have a lot of experience with it. So we will continue to use that experience to show up and be professionals, great teammates, great leaders, the hardest workers and continue to show up and do our job and help the Dallas Wings win basketball games.鈥�
When Fudd was introduced, Wings general manager Curt Miller said the club didn’t hesitate on a decision that added to an already elite backcourt with Bueckers and four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale.
鈥淪ince the moment we secured the No. 1 pick, we set out on a plan to be deliberate, thorough, with intention, on evaluating where we got to ultimately in picking Azzi Fudd,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淲e traveled all over the world watching this incredible draft class, but it all came back always to Azzi.鈥�
Bueckers was a runaway winner for the rookie award after averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. But the Wings tied for last place in the WNBA, and their 34 losses were twice as many as Bueckers experienced in four seasons combined at UConn. It was the 13th losing record in the past 16 seasons for the franchise.
鈥淭he way she goes about things, she always sees it as a challenge, as an opportunity to grow,鈥� Fudd said earlier this month. 鈥淪o last year it was, she鈥檚 not used to losing, but how can she take those losses, continue to grow, continue to be a great leader, make everyone around her better. So if I can adopt anything from her, that鈥檚 definitely one of the things that I want to kind of use for myself.鈥�
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