You’d be wrong to think all it takes is two hoops and a ball to draw millions to a league. It takes a thousand headline-grabbing storylines, fueled by stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, and the right “supporting scorers” to keep the drama going. Take Arike Ogunbowale. She’s the kind of player who won’t hesitate to skip an Olympic opportunity. She flat-out said, “It’s really about who they feel like fits with the team. So I actually took my name out the pool months ago.” That move didn’t exactly dominate social media, certainly not the way a Caitlin Clark sneeze would have. However, Arike is making her noise elsewhere.
Hear it from the HC himself. “They’re getting closer and closer,” Wings’ Chris Koclanes told reporters. “You heard them speak to it. They’re being extremely intentional about, ‘Hey, we can do this together. Forget what the media is saying, forget the narratives… we’re in control of the narrative.’ They’re both extremely mature. They’re all about the right things, and they want the best for each other.”
The “them” Koclanes is talking about? Dallas’ high-octane one-two punch: Ogunbowale (16 ppg) and Bueckers (18.1 ppg). The Wings’ scoring leaders may be combining for 34.1 points per game, but that’s hardly the only number turning heads right now.
Against the Liberty, Arike made history. She became the first player in WNBA history to drop 20+ points and hand out 14 assists with one or fewer turnovers in a single game. That stat line alone could fuel a week’s worth of highlights, but her running mate thinks it deserves even more.
“It’s a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league… everyone should be writing the story about her (Arike Ogunbowale) tonight,” Paige Bueckers said postgame. “For her to come in and turn around (after) All-Star break and perform the way she’s performing… staying present, staying focused… the story should be about her.” The 2024 All-Star MVP didn’t suit up for the weekend this year, but she’s wasted no time stealing the spotlight right after it.
Paige Bueckers on Arike Ogunbowale
“It’s a what have you done for me lately league…everyone should be writing the story about her tonight….for her to come in and turn around (after) All-Star break and performing how she’s performing…staying present and staying focused…the… pic.twitter.com/zzL6CmOH1X
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) July 29, 2025
Ogunbowale had a bit of a hiccup, too, heading into the All-Star event. Not only did she suffer a thumb injury, she came back to score 2 or 9 points. Bueckers had her back then, too. ““It might not have been her night shooting the ball, but the way she continued to stay in the game, not let it affect her effort on both ends of the floor… that was huge for me,” she had said.
But while the young guard has been busy showering Ogunbowale with praise, she has earned some of her own. The Dallas Wings rookie guard turned in a show-stopping performance last night. She powered a 92–82 home upset over the Eastern Conference leaders, the New York Liberty. After being back from a brief rest, Bueckers was one of three Wings in double figures. She matched her scoring partner Ogunbowale with 20 points as the duo combined for 40 to snap out of a two-game slide. Dallas led by as many as 30, but one moment defined the night for Bueckers.
It was a silky midrange jumper that has been making the rounds online, racking up over 3,000 retweets and counting. Clearly, her time off paid dividends. Even Wings head coach Chris Koclanes couldn’t help but point to how sharp she looked after recognizing how great her partnership with Ogunbowale becomes when both are firing at full strength. However, there might be some rumors of this duo breaking up…
Golden State’s interest could put Paige Bueckers’ duo at risk
With the WNBA trade deadline coming up on August 7 at 3 p.m. EST, the Dallas Wings might end up being one of the league’s most interesting sellers. They fell to 7–18 after their loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday. After Nalyssa Smith’s move, all eyes are on their longest-tenured star: Arike Ogunbowale. In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, Marisa Ingemi brought up the idea of Ogunbowale as a potential trade target for the Golden State Valkyries.
However, it was more speculative than a confirmed report. But the logic made a lot of sense. Golden State, in their first season, is currently holding onto the final playoff spot at 11–12, but they just lost their leading scorer and only All-Star, Kayla Thornton, for the rest of the year due to knee surgery. The Valkyries desperately need scoring (they’re bottom-four in points per game) and Ogunbowale, even in a down year, could step in as their go-to offensive weapon.
The four-time All-Star is averaging 16 points and 3.9 assists this season, but her shooting percentages (36.4% from the field and 32.6% from three) are career lows. For a player who once led the league in scoring (22.8 PPG in 2020) and has five top-10 MVP finishes, the drop-off has been hard to miss. This is why Dallas might be open to moving her $249,032 cap hit, especially with rookie standout Paige Bueckers looking like the future of their backcourt. Even during her worst statistical season, Ogunbowale’s track record means there will be plenty of interest if she hits the market, and Golden State could be at the front of the line.
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