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If you’re a women’s sports fan, you know Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.
You know them for their game. For the way they compete. For becoming WNBA No. 1 draft picks. For the highlights that flood your feed after every big game.
But lately, the conversation around the former UConn teammates has shifted away from their game and toward their relationship. Lately, fans can’t seem to stop speculating about Bueckers’ and Fudd’s personal lives.
And that shift reveals a lot about how we still talk about women athletes.
When fans and media focus on athletes’ personal lives before their performance, it minimizes the work they’ve put into their craft and turns elite competitors into tabloid stories. And for women athletes especially, that line gets crossed far too often
Valuing drama over talent disrespects the work, talent, and drive of women athletes.
Thankfully for Bueckers and Fudd, the Dallas Wings have made it clear where they stand—setting an example for other teams around the world.
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