Dallas Wings superstar Paige Bueckers joined Angel Reese and Aja Wilson at the 2026 Met Gala after addressing comments and her relationship privacy with teammate Azzi Fudd

23:12 ET, 04 May 2026Updated 23:12 ET, 04 May 2026

Paige Bueckers leaves The Carlyle Hotel during the Met Gala

Paige Bueckers attended the Met Gala for the first time

The 2026 Met Gala proved the WNBA’s rapidly growing star power and its athletes’ unique ability to move from competition to pop culture without missing a step. Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers walked in both worlds, not long after addressing her relationship with Azzi Fudd.

Paige “Buckets” walked the carpet with Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson, showing how far the league has come in pop culture. Last year, five WNBA stars showed up, but this time, only Reese returned for her third straight appearance.

The event itself took place four days before opening night, when the Connecticut Sun face the Liberty, the Washington Mystics take on the Toronto Tempo, and the Golden State Valkyries meet the Seattle Storm. Fudd already offered her views on WNBA officiating before playing in a regular-season game.

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As an ambassador for the luxury brand Coach, Bueckers worked with Stuart Vevers to create a custom relaxed tailored suit, featuring an oversized blazer and wide-leg trousers.

The suit had a black base with abstract paint splatters in red, blue, green, and yellow, giving it a look like fresh paint on a canvas.

Bueckers wore a suit with boxy shoulders and a double-breasted cut, pairing it with straight hair and neutral makeup. Before the event, she made it clear to media and fans that her relationship with Fudd would not impact her game.

Angel Reese attends the 2026 Met Gala

Angel Reese attended the Met Gala for a third straight year

“There is something that I wanted to address and I only plan on addressing it once,” Bueckers said during Wings media day. “Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own. And 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’s what I will be addressing today. Me and Azzi have always been the most professional,” she continued.

“We’ve always conducted ourselves as such and we’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court. That’s what we continue to do.”

Reigning WNBA champion and MVP A'Ja Wilson arrives at the 2026 Met Gala

A’Ja Wilson’s gold Met Gala look reflected last year’s WNBA season accolades

Reese returned to the ‘dream come true’ Met Gala in a custom Altuzarra gown. She wore a blush-pink, one-shoulder dress with puffed sleeves and a cinched waist, finishing the look with tied-up hair, a diamond choker, and strappy heels.

Wilson made her Met Gala debut in a custom metallic-gold Prabal Gurung gown, complete with golden hands. Her look matched a resume that includes seven All-Star nods, four MVPs, three titles, two Finals MVPs, and two Olympic golds.

The textured fabric caught the light, giving Wilson an armor-like look. She finished the outfit with layered metallic jewelry and a blonde pixie cut, sticking to her habit of debuting new styles at the start of each WNBA season.