The Notre Dame product and four-time WNBA All-Star enters Friday’s season opener having been through almost everything in Dallas.
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale pictured during a WNBA media day at College Park Center, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Arlington. The 5-8 guard enters the Wings’ Friday home opener as a seasoned veteran and two-time WNBA All-Star MVP, having seen just about every scenario the league could throw at her on the court.
But after years of being the Wings’ main offensive weapon, Ogunbowale said she isn’t used to being so open on the floor. The arrival of No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, along with several talented free agents, has taken some of the weight off her shoulders. Bueckers’ presence, in particular, has also given the Wings a larger platform that allows Ogunbowale to showcase her talents to a wider audience.Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, Kevin Sherrington's A La Carte.Ogunbowale helped the team to the WNBA semifinals in 2023 and weathered the storm that was the 2024 season. While Ogunbowale averaged 22.2 points per game, That result launched the organization, which had already announced an eventual move to downtown Dallas, into a rebuild. Several roster transactions took place. A new coach and general manager took over, and the Wings added a generational talent in Bueckers.But Ogunbowale, patient and steadfast, has been a pillar throughout the struggles and changes. The guard can finally catch her breath in 2025, what will be a historic season for a Wings organization she has been committed to since arriving from Notre Dame as a rookie. As Ogunbowale soaks in this new interest in the Wings, she can also enjoy playing on a more star-studded roster. Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale juggles a basketball for photos during a WNBA media day at College Park Center, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Arlington.Ogunbowale, who hit a buzzer-beater to deliver Notre Dame the 2018 national title, admits she knew little about Dallas after the Wings drafted her fifth overall in 2019.But the Wisconsin native quickly learned North Texas is hot and has good food. She knew she’d have to make herself at home in Dallas because she was positive she would make the Wings roster. “I’m very confident in myself,” Ogunbowale said. “My parents, they instilled that in me. All the teams I’ve been on, I’ve always been a hard worker. Coaches always trust me. Players always trust me.”“The very first practice I can remember watching Arike and saying ‘OK, she belongs here. She fits in right away. She looks like she is a WNBA player,’” Bibb toldOgunbowale averaged 19.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists that season and made the WNBA All-Rookie team. That level of production has remained consistent over the last six seasons and has earned Ogunbowale various accolades, including league scoring champion , steals leader and All-Star MVP high fives guard Paige Bueckers during a practice at College Park Center, Monday, April 28, 2025, in Arlington.Securing Bueckers was just one of the Wings’ big wins over the last year. The organization announced a future move to Memorial Arena in downtown Dallas, along with a new practice facility. They revamped their front office, hiring Curt Miller as general manager and former USC assistant Chris Koclanes as head coach, and sold out season tickets for a second straight year. Not long after announcing a landmark broadcast rights deal, the Wings welcomed top talent in free agency that Ogunbowale helped court. “She’s a hooper through and through,” new Wings guard DiJonai Carrington said during her introductory news conference in March. “She’s one of the hardest people in the league to guard.”More fans will get to see Ogunbowale’s skills on display with interest in the Wings, which also saw a surge in momentum last season, at an all-time high. “Obviously, a lot of credit to Paige. Getting a generational player like that who brings that type of fandom, that’s been amazing,” Ogunbowale said. Now that Ogunbowale has the support of a star like Bueckers, a WNBA championship in Dallas has become more of a reality. But with one of the youngest rosters in the league, a title may take some time. Ogunbowale knows how to wait. “I know I can trust in Arike and I believe Arike knows she can trust in me and the Wings,” Bibb said. “That day will come when we lift a trophy here, and I’m hopeful that the trophy is being handed to Arike when that moment comes.”Myah Taylor covers high school sports and the Dallas Wings. She formerly worked as a Collin County reporter for The Dallas Morning News. Taylor has contributed to the Austin American-Statesman, Yahoo Sports, the Los Angeles Times and Texas Monthly. She is a 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What Paige Bueckers said in her first Dallas Wings press conferenceThe phenom talked everything from the Texas heat to teaming up with Arike Ogunbowale.
Read more »
Wings Rookie Paige Bueckers Expresses Excitement for Teaming Up With Arike OgubowaleThe Wings rookie was formally introduced on Wednesday.
Read more »
NYC has pigeon people, and people who poo-poo pigeons: Understanding 'rats with wings'It's a busy time for everyone's favorite avian companions.
Read more »
Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends JJJ to Cavs, Allen to MEM, ATL Gets WingsCould the Cavaliers further supplement a dominant defense by pairing two of the three DPOY finalists - and how could the Hawks benefit?
Read more »
Wings GM Implies NaLyssa Smith Trade Was to Help Land DiJonai CarringtonDallas Wings GM Curt Miller said something interesting about his team's offseason maneuvers.
Read more »
Paige Bueckers Reacts After Winning First Preseason Game in WNBA With WingsPaige Bueckers earned the win in front of the Wings' home crowd.
Read more »