StudBudz
Social media influencer duo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
StudBudz is the name of both a Twitch livestream and the backcourt duo of Minnesota Lynx teammates Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman.[1] The pair gained widespread attention in 2025 through their unscripted streaming content and high-profile presence at the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Indiana.[2]
History
Williams and Hiedeman met during Hiedeman's rookie season with the Connecticut Sun when Williams was in her fourth season there.[3] They play the same position on the team (guard), and Williams became a mentor for Hiedeman.[3] The pair often affectionately refer to themselves as "twins" to acknowledge their deep friendship but also as a nod to the twin cities Minneapolis–Saint Paul, and also the Minnesota Twins baseball team.[3]
In June 2025, Williams and Hiedeman launched an Instagram account and a Twitch channel to document their adventures playing on the road and chatting about everyday things.[2][3] Hiedeman suggested the name "StudBudz," which alludes to their identities as "studs," a term used within the African-American LGBTQ community to describe more masculine-presenting women as opposed to those who present as "femme."[4][5]
StudBudz became popular quickly due to their unscripted everyday content, such as travel diaries, team practices, hotel routines, hair-dye experiments, game reactions to other teams, and informal interviews with teammates and competitors.[2][4] By August, the Twitch channel reached over 78,000 followers; and the Instagram account had over 110,000 followers.[3][5]
2025 WNBA All-Star game
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis marked a turning point for StudBudz.[1] Prior to the event, Williams and Hiedeman promised that if one of them was selected as an All-Star, they would commit to a continuous 72-hour livestream.[1][4][6] When Williams earned an All-Star selection, the duo followed through on the pledge with Hiedeman recording video from behind the player's bench while Williams played in the Sunday All-Star game.[3][4]
Off the court, the uninterrupted broadcast streamed even while they slept in the team hotel, capturing behind-the-scenes aspects of the weekend, including parties and glimpses of players before a collective bargaining meeting.[7][8] Guests such as WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, and many others made spontaneous appearances.[1]
The stream drew over 300,000 views across the weekend and further boosted the StudBudz's visibility.[5][9] One video even surpassed 500,000 views.[3]
Cultural impact
StudBudz has been credited with reshaping narratives around WNBA culture, by embracing Williams' and Hiedeman's LGBTQ+ identities, which marks a shift in the league. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who also is gay, has openly supported Williams' and Hiedeman's efforts, often noting that the WNBA once suppressed that representation.[3] Further, commentators have pointed to StudBudz as an example of how authentic player-driven media, like those found on Instagram, can amplify diverse stories within women's sports.[4]
As of September 2025, the StudBudz have sponsorships, brand deals, or merchandise partnerships with TOGETHXR, Playa Society, DoorDash, and the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City.[3][8]
Their signature matching pink hair, adopted during the summer of 2025, also became a recognizable symbol of the brand. [1][2][4]
In August 2025, the StudBudz appeared on the cover of SLAM magazine.[5]