NOTES: Wings ready to build off last year’s success
Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale drives to the basket against the Indiana Pacers in an exhibition game on May 3, 2024. (Photo courtesey: Dallas Wings)
By W.G. RAMIREZ
While everyone else was waiting for Indiana rookie Caitlin Clark to make her professional debut Friday in Dallas, the WNBA tip-off to the preseason, the Wings weren't about to let the Fever come in and steal the show.
Arike Ogunbowale buried a game-winning step-back 3-pointer with three seconds left and the Wings opened the exhibition campaign with a 79-76 victory over Indiana 79-76 inside a sold-out College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Sure, the atmosphere was electric, many WNBA fans wanting to see Clark walk onto the court as a professional for the first time. But Dallas fans should be excited for their Wings, who finished fourth in the league standings last season and figure to be a contender out of the Western Conference once again.
"We have great (draft) picks and just I think we're a year older," said Ogunbowale, who finished with 19 points and three assists on Friday. "Last year was our first year with kind of that core with Natasha (Howard) getting to the team and having Satou (Sabally) having her best year, me, T (Teaira McCowan) and just having that core coming back another year, we know each other we have chemistry. And then we're adding great players."
Like rookies Jacy Sheldon, Katrina Pardee and Jaelyn Brown, simply adding depth to a Wings team that finished third in the league in scoring with 87.9 points per game.
The one area coach Latricia Trammell is hoping to clean up is her team's scoring defense, as the Wings allowed a league third-highest 84.9 points per game.
The Wings allowed 100 or more points in seven games last season and won just one of them. They scored 100 or more in only four.
Though she went viral more for being shoved to the ground by Clark during the game, Sheldon had an impressive debut of her own when her number was called. Upon entering the game, the Wings trailed by 11 points and Sheldon made an immediate impact.
The 5-foot-10 point guard created two assists while adding speed to both ends of the court for the Wings. She could prove to be a huge addition for quality minutes when Dallas needs a spark.
The Wings, who are coming into the season with a chip on their shoulders looking to prove they’re a contender, open the season at home with back-to-back games against the Chicago Sky.
"We've been kind of just edging our way up and we've made tremendous progress," Veronica Burton said. "I think last year as a team, we definitely accomplished many of our goals in just being a top-four team, winning a playoff series against Atlanta and hosting that round. But I think it's momentum for us. We want to build on that, and we want to continue to because at the end of the day, the end goal is a championship."
WHAT ABOUT US? Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve is happy with the increased exposure the league is getting thanks to the hype following Clark. But she also wants everyone to remember the WNBA is a league of 144 women. Reeve took to "X" last week when the only game being televised was the Wings-Fever clash. Problem is, there were two national champion rookies making their debut for the Chicago Sky against Reeve's Lynx.
“Though fans won’t be able to watch, #Lynx fans can go to the Lynx app to follow along via play by play. Or if you are in market, come to the game…as we start the season off right #12teams #theWismorethanoneplayer," Reeve wrote.
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were taken by the Sky in the first round in last month's draft. Clark, taken No. 1 overall, lost to both in the last two national championship games.
Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams each scored 17 points to lead the Lynx past Chicago, 92-81.
Lindsay Allen led the Sky with 17. Cardoso, who scored six points in 13:14 minutes of action, will be sidelined for at least a month with a shoulder injury she sustained in the game, the team announced Monday. The No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft will be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks.
O'CANADA: A sold-out crowd of 16,655 fans watched the Los Angeles Sparks defeat the Seattle Storm, 84-79 on Saturday, in the second WNBA Canada Game. Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 17 points, while rookie Cameron Brink had an impressive pro debut with 11 points. Lexie Brown and rookie Rickea Jackson each scored 11 points. Four Storm players scored in double figures, led by Skylar Diggins-Smith, who finished with 14 points in her first game back in more than a year.
Also on Saturday, the Atlanta Dream got a team-high nine points from Taj Cole and opened their preseason with an 87-84 win over the Washington Mystics. Myisha Hines-Allen led Washington with 13.
DT A VILLAIN? Since last month's Bird and Taurasi Show during the Women's Final Four, Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi has been pegged as the villain for her comments about Clark, and how reality was headed her way. Suddenly, DT was being labeled as a hater, while others said she was jealous of Clark's instant stardom. READ MORE from Lyndsey D'Arcangelo: Diana Taurasi has fully embraced being the villain, and that’s great for the WNBA.
BG WANTS OTHER DETAINEES HOME: Mercury star Brittney Griner shared some time with Associated Press writer Doug Feinberg on a phone interview, and said "it is important people have a clear picture of what it’s like for those Americans not home yet, including Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, so that no one gives up the fight." Griner is hoping her new book - "Coming Home" - that drops Tuesday will enlighten others with what detainees have to endure, and it will help keep momentum going to get everyone home. Read more HERE.
HOUSTON MAY HAVE A PROBLEM: As the WNBA looks to grow over the next few years, several teams are intrigued of the possibility of becoming a franchise city. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said before the draft that the league intends to reach 16 teams by 2028.
Houston would love nothing more than to rejoin the league, as it became the first dynasty of the WNBA with the Comets. They're still tied with the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm for the most championships of any WNBA franchise, all with four.
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta's has expressed interest in purchasing a WNBA team.
"I feel like WNBA expansion is going to always work better and has a better chance of success in a city like Houston, where the Rockets are one of the strong teams from a financial standpoint," Fertitta told the Houston Chronicles. "I think that I would probably be the natural owner."
Problem is, Engelbert named Philadelphia, Toronto, Portland, Denver, Nashville and South Florida as places the league is exploring as options. Per The Athletic, Charlotte, N.C. is also in play.
Wherever the WNBA lands, expansion can't come soon enough with the excitement building around the league.
"It's complex because you need arena and practice facility and player housing and all the things, you need committed long-term ownership groups," Engelbert said. "'26 is definitely our goal for certainly the next one, and then shortly thereafter, if not then, or a year or two after. So, by '28, I'd say I'd feel pretty confident we'll be at 16 teams."
