Paige Bueckers ‘Messing With’ Azzi Fudd Could Make Her 'Irritated and Annoyed' as Potential WNBA Rivalry Feelings Lie Bare

Paige Bueckers' former UConn teammate, Azzi Fudd, would be playing in the WNBA next year, whether as her teammate or her opponent. Years spent playing alongside each other and having developed a very close relationship off the court, fans have something to look forward to, and so does Fudd.

In August earlier this year, Azzi Fudd revealed in an interview with Glamour that trash-talking against Bueckers was never a good idea. She also mentioned that she used to mess would Bueckers when they were teammates.

On Wednesday, Paige Bueckers appeared in an interview with the magazine. When the Dallas Wings star was asked about Fudd's comments, Bueckers said that Fudd was a bad trash talker. However, the 2025 Rookie of the Year said she knew how to get Fudd annoyed on the court.

"Yeah, well, first of all, she's really not that good at talking trash, so I don't think she'd have to worry about that," Bueckers laughed." She would say she would mess with me, but I think I'm obviously more.… I would mess with her, and then she'd get annoyed and irritated."

"Yeah, we haven't played against each other since high school, so I really don't know how that will go."

Azzi Fudd is expected to be the third pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, behind Lauren Betts and Olivia Miles. According to ESPN, she is expected to land with the Seattle Storm, which has the third pick in the draft.

Paige Bueckers talks about her first time in Unrivaled

Paige Bueckers is set to appear in the second season of Unrivaled. The WNBA star will represent the Breeze BC alongside other young stars like Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink, Kate Martin and others.

When asked about having a young team around her, Bueckers said that they had an advantage over other teams in terms of age and the urge to prove themselves.

"I feel like when you're young, you're playing with the edge, playing with a chip on your shoulder, and feeling like you have something to prove," Bueckers said. "But also, you're young and you don't really feel a huge responsibility or huge pressure. You're kind of just playing free, enjoying being around each other, enjoying playing together."

However, the Wings star expected this season of the 3x3 basketball league to be a learning experience.

"Obviously, we're all kind of in the same generation, so there's a lot we can relate to with each other. We're all learning and growing. It's Rickea’s second year. I think it’s Kate's second year. But the rest of us, it's our first year in Unrivaled, so we're all kind of just learning and growing and getting better together. So that's really exciting."

Paige Bueckers and her Breeze team will start their big-money title quest on January 5 next year.