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The Dallas Wings signed guard Grace Berger to a rest-of-season contract before Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Fever, the team announced. Berger had previously signed three seven-day contracts with Dallas before landing the new deal.
Berger's impact at the guard position has been important for Dallas. She even started at point guard (her first career start) on Sunday against the Washington Mystics. Following Sunday's game, Paige Bueckers — who started at shooting guard — addressed Berger's improved comfortability within the Wings' offense.
“Yeah, she’s just getting more comfortable and confident in the offense… Getting us organized,” Bueckers told reporters Sunday. “She just plays with effort that you really can’t teach. So, she just makes a positive impact on the basketball game regardless of made or missed shots.”
Having Berger on the roster allows Dallas to play both Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale on the wings. JJ Quinerly also gives Dallas that option. With Tyasha Harris out for the season due to a knee injury, the Wings now have two other point guards to rely upon in addition to Bueckers.
Bueckers is still capable of running the point, of course. The Wings have displayed interest in playing her off the ball at times, however. Berger is earning the trust of the coaching staff.
There is no denying the fact that Berger has struggled from a scoring standpoint. She is averaging 2.0 points per game while shooting just 22.2 percent from the field across six games played with Dallas. She has yet to connect on a three-point shot.
However, Berger's impact on the game cannot be completely defined by her scoring. She is a reliable passing guard who plays hard on both ends of the floor. She has averaged 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per contest in her 18.0 minutes per game. Berger has also been able to initiate the offense at a respectable level — something that may not show up in the box score but meets the eye test.
The Wings clearly believe in Grace Berger. The 26-year-old will be available for Tuesday night's game against the Fever in Indiana at 7:30 PM EST.
