"Paige and I have something that we want to share with everyone. We are no longer together," Fudd said. Bueckers used the moment to address talk that followed Fudd's selection as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. "We were not together before she got drafted, so all of those narratives can go to bed," she said. "She was not drafted because she was my girlfriend. She was drafted because she deserved it." The two added, "But we're still gang though."

The pick drew heavy attention in April. Most projections had favored Olivia Miles, and the Wings' choice of Fudd fed speculation that the team was accommodating its star. Bueckers had gone No. 1 to Dallas a year earlier and went on to win Rookie of the Year.

The two first met as teenagers at USA Basketball U16 tryouts, where Fudd has recalled underestimating Bueckers' game. Bueckers later recruited Fudd to UConn, and they became teammates there in 2021. Bueckers publicly called Fudd her girlfriend in July 2025. Accounts differ on exactly when the relationship began and became public, with some placing it in her rookie season. Bueckers had said their personal relationship was "nobody's business but our own," and in the Apple TV+ docuseries "The Dynasty: UConn Huskies" in August, the pair described it as private but not a secret.

The Wings finished 2026 at 27-17 as the No. 7 seed and lost their first-round series to the Golden State Valkyries, 2-1. Bueckers, in her second season, averaged 20.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists and earned All-WNBA honors. She is a two-time All-Star. Fudd averaged 13.1 points as a rookie, and a right knee injury required arthroscopic surgery after 30 games.

Both players said they remain close friends and "the utmost professionals" as they prepare for the 2027 season. They said they do not condone "hate of any kind" or negativity aimed at either of them, and asked the public to stop sharing information about each other's private lives. They said they will not give further details about the breakup.