Paige Bueckers Earns WNBA All-Star Starting Spot, Azzi Fudd Reacts with Pride

Rodney Knuppel

Paige Bueckers Earns WNBA All-Star Starting Spot, Azzi Fudd Reacts with Pride image

Paige Bueckers is having a breakout rookie year with the Dallas Wings, and her latest honor proves just how quickly she’s become one of the WNBA’s most exciting players. On Monday, the league announced she’ll be starting in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, an impressive nod that only five other No. 1 overall picks have received in their first year.

Bueckers isn’t just any rookie. She ranked sixth in total fan votes, and among guards, she was second only to Caitlin Clark. Of all the standout first-years in this deep 2025 draft class, Bueckers is the only one named to the starting lineup.

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One person who couldn’t contain her excitement? Azzi Fudd.

Fudd, who starred alongside Bueckers at UConn and is projected to be the top pick in the 2026 draft, reposted the All-Star announcement on social media, quietly but clearly showing her support. It’s no secret anymore that the two are dating, though their relationship remained a subject of speculation for years.

Fans began putting the pieces together recently when Fudd shared an Instagram Story that subtly confirmed things. In the photo, her phone case read, “Paige Bueckers’ girlfriend.” She didn’t call it out directly, but the internet noticed. Since then, she’s been seen courtside at several Wings games, including when Bueckers returned to Minnesota to play the Lynx and when she matched up against the Mystics in June. She also sat next to Bueckers during the WNBA Draft earlier this year.

Bueckers is backing up the hype on the court too. Through the first half of the season, she’s averaging 18.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and nearly 2 steals per game. Her poise and command have given the Wings a new dimension, and the All-Star nod feels like a sign of things to come.

The Wings will be back in action Thursday, taking on the Phoenix Mercury.

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.