Five games into the 2024 WNBA season, the Dallas Wings, despite a couple of key injuries, are 3-2 and currently have the fifth-best record in the league. They’ve gotten off to this start thanks to Arike Ogunbowale’s scoring and Sevgi Uzgun’s passing.
Arike Ogunbowale, the crème de la crème
Ogunbowale has been an offensive goddess for years, and 2024 will not be an exception. Her dribbling prowess is something to marvel at. She is constantly moving, but it’s not just dribbling for the sake of it. Her movement is always with purpose and leads towards forward progress, even if it doesn’t appear that way initially.
To start the year, she’s leading the WNBA in scoring, averaging 28.8 points per game, and has already had massive scoring outbursts, including her 40-point game versus the Phoenix Mercury.
As long as Ogunbowale is on the floor, the Wings can beat any team on any given night. She’s a game-breaker, a cheat code and the main reason the Wings have started off well.
Another rookie taking charge
Ogunbowale is the key, but other players have to perform well for it to matter enough for Dallas to win. Five games in, Sevgi Uzun is another player from this rookie class who is playing like a seasoned veteran. She’s averaging 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
Her passing has been superb. She’s making advanced reads and passing the ball into tight windows. Many times, it looks like nothing is available, and she finds a way to lead a player to an easy basket.
Rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink will get most of the attention, and deservedly so, but Uzun might end up playing important minutes on a championship contender, which none of the other shining rookies can say.
Health is wealth
The season is still in its early stages, but injuries already are a major factor. Natasha Howard remains out with broken foot, with her initial recovery timeline projected to be three to six weeks. Without a player of Howard’s caliber, in addition to the absence of Satou Sabally, who is not expected to make her 2024 debut until August because of a shoulder injury, it could be hard for Dallas to continue to tread water, but if they do, they’ll be in prime position to go on a run when both are back.
To be successful in the WNBA, you need two things: skill and luck. The Wings have already been unlucky with key injuries, but their skill has allowed them to win three of their first five games. Now, let’s see if they can register key wins against their next three opponents: the Connecticut Sun, Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.