Sports
Wings' Paige Bueckers: Relationship with Azzi Fudd 'nobody's business'
Dec 7, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) and Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrate after the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Barclays Center. Paige Bueckers and WNBA No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd are teammates again in Dallas, but the status of their relationship isn’t relevant to the Wings’ outlook in 2026.
The pair of former UConn teammates, who have been the team’s first-round picks in the last two WNBA drafts, announced that they were in a romantic relationship last July, months after winning the 2025 national championship with the Huskies.
When Fudd was asked about the relationship at her introductory press conference earlier this month, a member of the Wings’ public relations staff did not allow her to answer, stating that “We’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on our players’ personal lives.”
Bueckers said Monday, three days before Dallas’ preseason opener vs. Indiana on April 30, her focus is on basketball.
“There is something I want to address, and I only plan on addressing it once. If we continue to get asked about it, we will refer to this moment in time or use the time to deflect and talk about our teammates,” Bueckers said at Dallas 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. … Me and Azzi have always been utmost professionals. We’ve always conducted ourselves as such. We’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
Bueckers, the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, also made it clear that she had nothing to do with the selection of Fudd.
“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it,” Bueckers said. “It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, as a basketball player, her resilience, her strength and her career-best year at UConn.
“Azzi is a great individual person, her own great individual person, and should be celebrated as such.”
Fudd averaged a career-best 17.3 points, 3.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game last season, making 48.1% of her shots and 44.7% of her 3-pointers as the Huskies, who were 38-0 before their Final Four loss to South Carolina.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Patriots captains offer little insight on Mike Vrabel's speech to team
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images New England Patriots captains Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane are pleased with the energy Mike Vrabel has brought to the team this week, but didn’t offer opinions about the coach’s highly-discussed off-the-field issues.
Vrabel skipped Saturday’s third and final day of the NFL draft for a counseling session and returned to the team Monday as the Patriots continue their voluntary offseason workouts.
Vrabel addressed the team on April 21 and Tuesday marked the first time since the speech that players were available to the media.
Henry and Spillane both said Vrabel spoke about the situation involving former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. The two were photographed together last month at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Ariz., holding hands, hugging and sharing a hot tub. Both are married to other people.
“I thought he did a great job,” Henry said of Vrabel’s talk to the team. “It’s been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy in the room. Obviously, he addressed it and that’s kind of all I’ll say about it.”
Henry, a tight end, is entering his sixth season with the Patriots and 10th overall. Spillane, a linebacker, has long revered Vrabel, dating back to when he was an undrafted free agent in 2018 and competing for a spot on the Tennessee Titans’ roster with Vrabel as coach.
Now entering his ninth NFL season, Spillane said he hasn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.
“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane said. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football. … I love Coach and I’m going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I’m just a player and trying to do that the best I can.”
Though the controversial situation has played out publicly, both players said returning to the Super Bowl is a bigger talking point in the locker room. New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in February.
“Obviously I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on,” said Henry, who had a career-high 768 yards to go with 60 receptions and seven touchdown catches in 2025. “To be honest with you, I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building, with this team.
“Had a long season last year, quick turnaround into the offseason, we’re in a new building. And every year is a new year. We’re trying to build this team, we’re trying to come together, so I’m just focused on the guys in this locker room, and trying to build it from the ground up again. We have a long journey ahead of us; we have to start somewhere, so we’re starting right now.”
Spillane expressed that expectations will be higher and that the Patriots will have a target on their backs.
“It’s going to be a brand-new team,” said Spillane, who had 97 tackles and two interceptions last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. “It’s a chance for us to come together, to get to know our teammates, to learn and connect with each other, and really grow with our craft. And that’s what we’re really focused on.”
Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. He took a team that went 4-13 in 2024 and guided them to a 14-3 record. New England beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl.
Vrabel and Russini were spotted together prior to the NFL league meetings that began March 29 in Phoenix. Sedona is approximately two hours north of Phoenix.
When the situation first came to light publicly, Vrabel said, “those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
The Athletic and Russini parted ways days later.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red cards approved for players covering mouths at World Cup
Apr 22, 2026; Morristown, New Jersey, USA; An MLS match ball is displayed during an event for the opening of the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center. The complex has been selected as Brazil’s training home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The International Football Association Board held a special meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday to approve a pair of FIFA-approved amendments to address inappropriate behavior ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America
One new rule permit officials to issue red cards for any players who cover their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent or to any players who leave the field of play in protest of a decision made by a referee.
This change stems from a Champions League match when Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni said racially abusive comments directed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior while pulling his jersey up over his mouth to hide what he was saying. Vinicius was visibly emotional after the confrontation, and Prestianni received a six-match ban from UEFA for the incident.
The International Football Association Board held a special meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday to approve a pair of FIFA-approved amendments to address inappropriate behavior ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America
The other new amendment permit officials to issue red cards for any players who leave the field of play in protest of a decision made by a referee. It also applies to any team official who convinces his team’s players to leave the field in protest of a call.
IFAB said in its statement that all 48 teams competing in the World Cup will be informed of these amendments in the coming weeks.
The World Cup kicks off June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees place DH Giancarlo Stanton (calf) on IL
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images The New York Yankees placed designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to a right calf strain.
The move is retroactive to Saturday. The Yankees recalled infielder Max Schuemann from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his place on the active roster.
Stanton last played Friday at the Houston Astros and left after the sixth inning when he experienced stiffness in the calf while running the bases. The Yankees have kept him on the bench since then while waiting to see how his calf responded.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the team’s 4-2 win at the Texas Rangers on Monday that an MRI revealed nothing more than a strain that didn’t “look too serious.”
The oft-injured Stanton, 36, was limited to 77 games for the Yankees last year due to injuries to both his elbows. The former National League MVP (2017, Miami Marlins) was batting .256 with three home runs and 14 RBIs through 24 games this season.
The Yankees had previously called up outfielder Jasson Dominguez from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and sent right-hander Luis Gil to Triple-A after he started Sunday’s loss to the Astros.
The 23-year-old Dominguez, who played in 123 games last season, began 2026 at Triple-A and batted .326 with three homers, 15 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 24 games.
Schuemann, 28, had a fine spring for the Yankees after they acquired him from the Athletics in February. In 234 games across two seasons with the A’s (2024-25), Schuemann has hit .212 with nine homers, 18 doubles, 47 RBIs and 21 steals.
In 2025 alone, Schuemann made starts at second base, third base, shortstop, left field and center field.
–Field Level Media
Patriots captains offer little insight on Mike Vrabel's speech to team
Red cards approved for players covering mouths at World Cup
