Just as the Dallas Wings began to rediscover their rhythm, one of their top scorers, Arike Ogunbowale, found herself sidelined with an untimely injury. The four-time WNBA All-Star had been a consistent presence for the Wings this season, but during a gritty win over the Washington Mystics on June 28, she sustained a hand injury that will now keep her out for the second straight game.
With the team finally gaining momentum, the big question looms: how long will the Wings be without their Ogunbowale?
Arike Ogunbowale Out With Thumb Injury, Return Date Still Unknown
Ogunbowale, who’s averaging 16.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals this season, suffered a thumb injury during the Wings’ 79–71 win over the Mystics and has yet to return to the lineup.
She missed the Friday, July 3 game against the Phoenix Mercury, which the Wings won 98–89. However, she has been ruled out for Monday’s rematch in Phoenix.
ClutchPoints reporter Joey Mistretta confirmed that neither Ogunbowale nor teammate DiJonai Carrington traveled with the team, signaling that both will likely remain sidelined for at least one more game.
Getting asked a lot about the Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington’s injury situation.
Here are the latest updates all in one as I reported for @ClutchPoints pic.twitter.com/E9PwVzEcTC
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) July 7, 2025
Meanwhile, head coach Chris Koclanes emphasizes that the team doesn’t want to rush things.
“Hurt her hand in that game there (vs. Washington). So just being extremely cautious and waiting for more news from the medical team on what that looks like long-term,” said head coach Chris Koclanes.
Whew! catch Arike Ogunbowale if you can 🏃♀️
The way she comes off screens hard to score is ELITE
WAS-DAL | Live on League Pass pic.twitter.com/bq6XAjoQqU
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 22, 2025
With Ogunbowale out, rookie Aziaha James is expected to step into a larger role as the Wings continue navigating a tough stretch of road games. She added 28 points in the Wings’ last game against the Mercury. The Wings squad will face the Chicago Sky next on Wednesday, July 9, which marks Ogunbowale’s next possible return date.
Injuries Stack Up, but the Wings Are Finding Their Groove
The Wings’ injury list doesn’t stop at Ogunbowale. Forward Maddy Siegrist remains sidelined with a fractured anterolateral tibial plateau in her right knee, while Carrington is recovering from a rib injury sustained on a late-game charge against the Connecticut Sun.
The front office responded by signing Liatu King to a rest-of-season deal via the hardship exception to minimize injury impact and keep the momentum going.
However, the Wings have shown grit despite the injuries and are finally getting on the winning track. Despite being short-handed, Dallas has gone 5–2 in their last seven games, a massive turnaround from their early-season struggles when they won just one of their first 12 contests.
They’ve pulled off a key win against Mercury even without Ogunbowale, showing improved chemistry and resilience, a promising sign if their star guard can return soon.
