A new coach. A rebuilding roster. And one veteran tasked with holding it all together. Curt Miller ushered in a new era for the Dallas Wings. He appointed Chris Koclanes as head coach and reshaped the locker room with fresh talent in Paige Bueckers and others. But the challenge was a little personal for Arike Ogunbowale. The guard needed peace with the changing dynamics and re-adjusting to her new reality without Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard.

It was certain that the five-feet-eight guard was struggling with the new team. As she strived to improve her dynamics with rookie, both on and off the hardwood in the earliest games, she lost confidence after her teammate was sidelined. But the athlete had finally found her momentum with Paige Bueckers’ return on the active roster. Moreover, the Wings leader had a solid run against the Las Vegas Aces as she dished 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists with the help of Bueckers.

That game showed how Arike and Paige are starting to click, with Arike’s playmaking setting up Paige’s smooth mid-range shots, giving fans hope for what this duo could do.

In a latest turn of events, Underdog WNBA shared a major locker room update surrounding Dallas Wings. The account took to X (former Twitter) and posted, “Arike Ogunbowale (illness) doesn’t practice Sunday.” This news comes just days after Ogunbowale appeared in a post-game interview to answer media questions regarding their  88-84 upset against the Aces on Saturday.

There are no publicly verifiable records that justify the reasons behind Ogunbowale’s sudden illness. The Wings were completely relying on Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington in the four matches that the rookie was sidelined. With Bueckers and Tyasha Harris on the bench, Wings forward player, Myisha Hines-Allen urged the locker room to step up their game and take collective responsibility and HC extended support to the struggling athlete.

“I think just continuing to connect with her and help her; is it off the ball, is it on the ball,” Chris Koclanes had said. “You know, it’s tough here when you’re playing without a couple point guards.” Despite a disappointing performance so far, Ogunbowale has rallied the team on her shoulders and led them with an offensive dominance on the hardwood. With 16.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists so far, Arike is the true leader of the Dallas Wings. She has taken the reins of the team as she propels them with Carrington and now, Bueckers, by her side.

Arike Ogunbowale has a word of advice for 2025 overall no.1 pick

The Dallas Wings athlete, Arike Ogunbowale recently joined veteran Sue Bird on her podcast, Bird’s eye view with Sue Bird, and engaged in an interesting conversation surrounding the Dallas Wings. On being asked about Paige Bueckers’ quality that can help her succeed, Ogunbowale did not hold back and appreciated the rookie’s ability to as a mid-range scorer.

“The midi, like, she got the midi perfected. It’s so clean too,” Ogunbowale explained. “It’s just like: “Oh you want to run out, I got the midi like I’m not about to try to EuroStep and get to the basket. I’m just going to stop here and pop the midi.” And that’s so hard to guard. So, I think her having that and obviously ‘cuz she can shoot from far, but her having that midi is definitely huge for sure.”

Needless to say, Paige Bueckers has been creating ripples in the W. She has scored nearly 30.2 percent of her points, that come from the midrange, the third-highest mark in the entire league, after Courtney Williams and Robyn Parks. In a league where most players are sticking to the rim or launching shots from deep, Bueckers is a rare phenom with an ability to make mid-range scoring.

Having said that, Ogunbowale had a word of advice for Bueckers. “Just like be more aggressive. It’s like you need to score and you’re a scorer,” Arike said. ” I know she has that mindset, but I think people saw especially in that run, she started going crazy. Like, she was looking really good. So,  just like be aggressive. Score and nobody will ever get mad at you taking shots, ‘cuz that’s what we need from you, truly.” 

While Paige is a humble and soft player, who uses her voice more than aggression, unfortunately her approach barely aligns with the expectations of the game. As a a natural facilitator, Bueckers shot an incredible 13-of-19 from the field against Phoenix Mercury and asserted her dominance in the game. And Paige might transform into a dominating threat and an unstoppable force if she takes the advice of her teammate. If all goes well, the Wings might actually garner more wins and climb the ladder. Hopefully.

With Arike’s guidance and their growing chemistry, the Wings have a shot at turning their season around, but her missing practice reminds everyone how much the team leans on her presence.