The Dallas Wings have faced a challenging season so far, as the team has struggled with injuries and a series of losses. Despite a recent three-game winning streak, the team’s overall performance has been inconsistent. Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings' star guard, provided her perspective on the difficulties the team has faced.
“It’s definitely tough. You can’t control what happens with injuries,” said Ogunbowale, via Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press. “We just have to keep fighting through, and we have what it takes to be a good team. …. We’re just going to keep adding people back and keep getting better.”
Ogunbowale has scored at least 20 points in 16 of her 18 games this season.
The Wings entered this season with high expectations following their best performance since relocating to Texas eight years ago. Last season, they achieved their most wins since their 2008 WNBA title run when they were based in Detroit. Key players such as Satou Sabally, Natasha Howard and Ogunbowale returned, leading to optimism for a strong season.
However, the team has struggled with injuries. Sabally has been sidelined with a shoulder injury that occurred during an Olympic qualifier in February. Howard missed 12 games due to a broken foot, and second-year guard Maddy Siegrist recently broke her left index finger. The setbacks have left the Wings with a 4-15 record, tying them with Washington for the worst record in the 12-team league.
“Search for a different word to use, but there isn’t really a better one than disappointing,” Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb said. “Last year was our best year, another step in our build. Top-four finish, semifinalist, basically having the core of the team back coming into this year. We had high expectations for what 2024 could be. By the way, I’ll say 2024 is not over. There’s still a lot of games to play.”
Dallas Wings look to regroup after Olympic break
Approaching the halfway point of the regular season, the Wings have lost 13 of their last 14 games. They ended an 11-game losing streak with a 94-88 home win over Minnesota before losing twice in three nights to Seattle. The most recent defeat was a 95-71 loss on Monday.
With six games remaining before the month-long Olympic break and 15 games after, the team is looking to regroup and make a push for the playoffs.
“We’re starting to get, hopefully, people back after the break. I never loved seeing an Olympic break, but it’s really going to be beneficial for our team,” second-year Wings coach Latricia Trammell said. “It’s been challenging, of course. But we’re trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Sabally is expected to play for Germany in the Olympics, and the Wings hope to have her back after the break, along with Siegrist. In the meantime, Howard emphasized the importance of staying competitive and within striking distance of a playoff berth, as eight of the league’s 12 teams make the postseason.
“We have time to still collect some wins to still be in that run for the playoffs,” Howard said. “When the break comes, that’s when everybody can actually recharge their battery and relax, then come back and be ready to rock and roll for the second half of the season. That’ll be good that we’re going to have Maddy and Satou back.”
Last season, the Wings’ 22 wins were the most since 2008, when the franchise was in Detroit and won its third WNBA championship. They won their first-round playoff series against Atlanta before being swept by Las Vegas in the semifinals. The team’s history includes moves from Detroit to Tulsa in 2010 and then to North Texas in 2016. They plan to move to Dallas in 2026, which Bibb described as a transformative step for the franchise.
“The move to Dallas will be transformative for us. We’re super excited about that,” Bibb said. “But between now and then, we hope to win a lot of basketball games right here at College Park Center.”
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