After a string of injuries and mounting losses, the Dallas Wings have dropped 15 games already this season. Now, their head coach Chris Koclanes knows it’s time to turn the struggling ship around as he issues a challenge to Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale ahead of their meeting with the Indiana Fever.
Bueckers emerged as the player picking up the franchise during in a testing run that saw the team’s depth put to the test after key injuries to contributors like Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, and Maddy Siegrist.
Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, helped lead the Wings to a rare victory over one of the league’s strongest contenders in the Western Conference by defeating the Phoenix Mercury, although they have lost the two games since.
Partnered with fellow rookies JJ Quinerly and Aziah James, the 23-year-old temporarily reignited the locker room’s competitive energy and proved she can lead the team on the court, despite the successive defeats prior to their Indiana meeting on July 13.
A timely boost for Dallas
So now eyes have shifted to what’s next, and the return of a familiar face might provide the answer as Ogunbowale, who had been sidelined with a thumb injury, has been upgraded to “probable” for the high-profile clash.
Her return ahead of Sunday’s game with the Fever is a big boost but Koclanes has already made it clear that expectations are on both her and Bueckers to pick up the ball, literally and proverbially, to lead the team forwards.
“Yeah, just continue to grow on the floor with each other,” Koclanes said. “Who’s on the ball, who’s off the ball in actions together – just continue to build that confidence.
“And be able to put a ton of pressure on defences because the two of them just have so much gravity and draw so much attention.”
Wings stars returns come at crucial time ahead of Caitlin Clark clash
With both Ogunbowale and Bueckers on the court, expectations are high for improved execution and more structured roles with the belief that it will create a more organized Dallas to take the fight to their WNBA rivals.
The coaching staff appears focused on ensuring the two stars don’t compete for control but rather complement one another within a coherent offensive strategy and the timing of their return couldn’t be more significant.
Clark, whom Bueckers will face for the first time professionally, returned from injury on July 9 and now bids to work her way back up to the top-class performances she has become known for.
So far, the guard has produced 22 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds in the two games against the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream, and has averaged 16.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists in the 2025 WNBA season.
Sunday’s game will take place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and will begin from 13:00 ET/10:00 PT.
Read the full article here
