For the first time, Arike Ogunbowale was vocal about the criticism she's received throughout the 2025 WNBA season for her gameplay. The star Dallas Wings guard expressed her frustrations during the post-game press conference after the Wings suffered yet another loss, this time 88-77 to the New York Liberty.
Ogunbowale specifically addressed the chatter about her on X, formerly Twitter, starting by directing one of those thoughts at a reporter. When asked about the challenges she's had to adjust to and overcome this campaign, Ogunbowale's answer kicked off a tense exchange.
“Let me know what you see,” Ogunbowale responded. “I see a lot of tweets from you. Let me know what you see. Go ahead.”
The reporter replied, “I think that you're a great player, and I think you're making the adjustment to this offense, and that's just my opinion.”
Ogunbowale responded skeptically and addressed the root of her annoyance head-on. “Oh, you be saying other stuff on Twitter,” she clapped back before going on to answer the game-related question.
“It’s just adjustments, like you said. New offense. New coach. New team. Still making adjustments. Just trying to help my team win,” Ogunbowale finished. “Just trying to get better every game.”
Arike had a tense moment with a reporter last night after the Wings loss.
Via thestargaz3rr/X pic.twitter.com/9ZqNkLYl3f
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) August 9, 2025
After the interaction began circulating among WNBA fans on social media, Ogunbowale felt it was the right time to make a rare post to her own X account to continue calling out the discourse she believed was crossing a line into hating.
“Y'all so funny,” Ogunbowale started with two laughing emojis. “I never say anything fr, criticism's part of the job, I welcome all of it. BUT if one day I feel like responding, just stand on everything said, don't start [stuttering] lmao. But anyway, back to being quiet. God bless.”
😂😂 yall so funny. i never say anything fr, criticism’s part of the job, i welcome all of it. BUT if one day i feel like responding just stand on everything said don’t start studdering lmao. but anyway back to being quiet. God bless 🙏🏾
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) August 9, 2025
Ogunbowale entered Friday night's game against the Liberty averaging 15.7 points on 36.2 percent shooting from the field and 31.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc. She attempted to lead the Wings back from a 16-point deficit, and although she scored 17 points and they gave the Liberty a run for their money in the second half, Dallas still fell short to the defending champions.
The Wings were without rookie phenom Paige Bueckers, who sat out to nurse a back injury, but Ogunbowale didn't view that as an excuse.
“I think in the second half we did what we should have done in the first half,” Ogunbowale said postgame. “If we can put two halves together like the second half, I think we’re in good shape.”
The Wings will be back in action when they host the Washington Mystics on August 10 for Rivals Week.