The Dallas Wings agreed to a contract with Japanese women's basketball star Mai Yamamoto, the team announced on Wednesday. The deal is a training camp contract. Yamamoto, who most recently played for the Toyota Antelopes in Japan this season, could provide important guard depth for the Wings.

A 25-year-old 5'5″ guard, Yamamoto has averaged 11.7 points per game with the Antelopes this season. She has played with the team since the 2017-18 campaign.

The signing is crucial for the Wings. In addition to trading star forward Satou Sabally to the Phoenix Mercury, Dallas also traded guard Jacy Sheldon to the Connecticut Sun. The Wings acquired DiJonai Carrington in the Sheldon deal, and she can help out at the guard position. Arike Ogunbowale will lead the guards, of course, and Paige Bueckers will factor into the equation if she does declare for the WNBA draft and Dallas ends up selecting her first overall.

With all of that being said, having an extra guard would not hurt. It is worth noting that guard Sevgi Uzun was also traded in the Sabally deal, so Dallas could certainly use another guard.

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Yamamoto will attempt to make the team for the regular season in training camp. Nothing is guaranteed at the moment, but perhaps she will do enough to earn a roster spot.

The Wings are in transition in a sense. Dallas has a new general manager and head coach in Curt Miller and Chris Koclanes. Additionally, moving on from Satou Sabally is a big change as well, as she is one of the best players in the WNBA. Dallas has made an effort to add talent around Arike Ogunbowale, though, and they could bounce back in 2025 following their disappointing 2024 season.

The Wings have hope for the future, and perhaps Mai Yamamoto will play a role in the team's 2025 campaign.