The situation in Dallas got chaotic. Paige Bueckers’ status was left in limbo leading up to their New York Liberty clash. “I’m hoping it won’t take me out,” Bueckers had said after her injury, while Coach Chris Koclanes added to the hopes: “She should be fine for tomorrow.” However, just minutes before the tip-off, the Wings decided to take a safer route, leaving the team to adjust without their star player. But did that really leave them without a leader?
With Bueckers out, Wings weren’t expected to do anything special against the No.2 team. And so it was no surprise when they started out poor. The Liberty pulled ahead with a 13-point lead in the first quarter, and that went to 19 in the second. The Wings once again pulled the ‘too little, too late’ act when they fought back just 3 points late in the third. Without Bueckers, they did not have that extra punch and ultimately fell 88-77. After the game, Wings forward Myisha Hines-Allen explained who their actual leader would be to get their plays moving.
“Hedging, switching, getting a player out, whatever it is, when we are decisive, when we do it with conviction… it looks good,” the forward stated, speaking about defensive strategy and how everyone being on the same page works for them. “I think it definitely is going to come down to everyone chipping in.”
The Wings are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to defense. That is despite crashing at league-leading rate of 36.5 per game. In the paint, the team has kept things together, but they have been caught out in transition, conceding 13.2 fast break points per game, which is among the worst in the league. Their perimeter defense has been abysmal as well, conceding the worst 3-point percentage in the league with 37.2%. Allen insists that while everyone must step up, it’ll take one true leader to ignite unity and drive the team forward.
“So, I mean, yes, it’s going to take everyone, but it’s going to start from our leader right here, Arike.” She further joked, “That’s the next progression for Arike. She’s going to be defensive player of the year in two seasons.”
In this young group of rookies like Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale remains the lone veteran. And it seemed like they were going to move on from the last piece from the 2024 squad. Everything looked primed for her to move to a team like the Minnesota Lynx or Las Vegas Aces. “Ogunbowale would certainly be a more natural fit with the Aces offense,” the Ringer’s Seerat Sohi wrote.
However, ClutchPoints reported, “I don’t think we (Wings) want to give up on her yet.” They did not rule out a trade at the time, but the deadline passed, and Ogunbowale remained on the roster and seemingly as the leader of the squad with or without Bueckers. Even with her inconsistent form, Arike is averaging 15.6 points and 4.6 assists per game, which is the second-best on this Wings side. It was DiJonai Carrington who was given up for young blood in Diamond Miller.
Arike Ogubowale slowly adjusting to her position as the No.2 on the Wings side
The Dallas Wings have a prodigal rookie who was poised to lead a WNBA side that had Arike Ogunbowale, a four-time All-Star.. Ogunbowale was the front line of the attack last year, and suddenly she had to accommodate Bueckers. Don’t get us wrong, the vet was more than excited to have the star rookie join the team, but the synergy was not immediate.
The duo combined for 7 first-half points in their 4th consecutive loss to start the season in May. It was no better by early June when Arike’s inconsistency was glaring while she shot 30% or under in 3 games.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 11: Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Dallas Wings reacts against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center on June 11, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The veteran guard is averaging 15.6 points per game on 14.1 shots, both career lows. Last year, as a high-volume scorer, she averaged 22.2 points per game, the second-highest of her career, and a career-high 19.2 shots per game. This year, she is shooting a career-low 31.8 percent from deep. In recent weeks, however, we have seen flashes of Ogunbowale taking the secondary role. Just 4 games ago, Ogunbowale dropped 14 assists on the second-best team in the league, the New York Liberty. Alongside that, she also had 20 points to lead the Wings to a dominating win.
“Everybody should be writing about her tonight,” Bueckers said after that game. “To have an efficient 20 points, an efficient 14 assists (career-high) and one turnover, playing within the offense, playing within the flow, playing on both sides of the ball, for her to come in and turn it around after the all star break and perform how she performing, I think the conversation between us has been controlling what we can control.”
There were multiple plays in that game that showed selflessness on her part. That is what the Wings are looking for her to do with this young team. She will need to provide support and, at times, take a secondary role to Bueckers. Arike is still the leader of the squad, but this is the role she has been handed.
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