{"id":613213,"date":"2026-04-18T22:02:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T22:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/613213\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T22:02:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T22:02:16","slug":"wnba-star-paige-bueckers-spotted-cozying-up-to-ex-college-teammate-and-its-not-girlfriend-azzi-fudd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/613213\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA star Paige Bueckers spotted cozying up to ex-college teammate… and it’s NOT girlfriend Azzi Fudd"},"content":{"rendered":"

By OLIVER SALT, US ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 17:34 EDT, 18 April 2026 | Updated: 17:39 EDT, 18 April 2026 <\/p>\n

WNBA<\/a> star Paige Bueckers looked cozy with former college teammate\u00a0Nika Muhl on vacation in Croatia this week – amid the frenzy over girlfriend Azzi Fudd joining the same team as her.<\/p>\n

Fudd was selected by the Dallas Wings with the first overall pick<\/a> in the 2026 WNBA\u00a0Draft on Monday night, meaning she is set to play alongside ex-UConn teammate and rumored lover Bueckers in a remarkable turn of events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the pair sparked romance rumors last year, they have kept their personal lives out of the spotlight, ensuring details of their relationship have remained under wraps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And it appears they intend to keep it that way. Despite now being teammates again, Fudd was prevented from discussing her relationship with Bueckers<\/a> during her introductory press conference on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Yet after their new relationship as partners-turned-teammates made headlines, Bueckers has been spotted cozying up to another of her former UConn teammates.<\/p>\n

The 2025 No. 1 pick shared a series of photos from her trip to Zagreb, Croatia, where she was joined by Seattle Storm’s Muhl and others.<\/p>\n

\"WNBA <\/p>\n

WNBA star Paige Bueckers looked cozy with former college teammate Nika Muhl on vacation<\/p>\n

\"Bueckers <\/p>\n

Bueckers headed to Croatia\u00a0amid the frenzy over girlfriend Azzi Fudd joining her in Dallas<\/p>\n

Bueckers and Muhl look close in a number of the snaps, including one taken in front of a stunning mountain backdrop.<\/p>\n

‘A twin trip needed for the soul,’ Bueckers wrote as the caption, ‘can confirm they have sharks in the Croatian Sea’.<\/p>\n

Muhl commented: ‘Best surprise ever’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After being picked 14th overall in the 2024 Draft, Muhl’s WNBA career has been plagued by injuries, with the Croatian player announcing this week that she has torn her ACL for the second time – and in the other knee – in the space of a year.<\/p>\n

During her introductory press conference for the Wings on Thursday, Fudd was asked about her romance with Bueckers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, before she could answer, a member of the Wings PR team shut the question down.<\/p>\n

‘Paige announced last year on TikTok that y’all were a couple, and I’m wondering if that’s still the case, and if so, if y’all have talked to any other couples in the league about how they negotiate that dynamic as pro teammates?’ the reporter asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The member of staff said that they understood why the question was asked but that they would have Fudd decline to answer, according to\u00a0USA Today’s Meghan Hall.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The 2025 No. 1 pick looked close with ex-UConn star Nika Muhl in her vacation photo dump<\/p>\n

\"Bueckers <\/p>\n

Bueckers has been linked romantically with Fudd, who was taken first overall by the Wings<\/p>\n

Many social media users slammed the censorial move, including former football wide receiver Dez Bryant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Hey hey hey… that’s part of the game\u2026From the test of time, nothing has been off limits,’ he wrote. ‘That reporter had the right to ask that question. If they are dating..they are dating what’s the problem?\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Women wanting to be paid millions of dollars comes with it all. When hasn’t the media been in an athlete’s personal business?’<\/p>\n

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy agreed, insisting that the reporter had a right to ask the question.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘This is a totally fair question,’ he posted on X. ‘Sure it\u2019s unusual but they are very public on social media. They are teammates. They don\u2019t keep their relationship private. I have no problem with them not answering it but I have no problem asking it. It\u2019s fair game. I also don\u2019t think they care.’<\/p>\n

Others believed that the Wings’ media team should have allowed Fudd the chance to answer as they claimed that by blocking the question it only blew the subject up further.<\/p>\n

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