Arike Ogunbowale Started Strong to the 2026 Season
Arike Ogunbowale is reminding fans (and the WNBA) why she remains one of the most dangerous scorers in the league. The Dallas Wings star made a spectacular start to the Dallas Wings 2026 campaign, following consecutive 20-point games to extend her wizardry in Arike Ogunbowale scoring.
Ogunbowale continued to be in the headlines for recent Dallas Wings news, scoring 20 points in a narrow 77-72 defeat on July 28 versus the Atlanta Dream. Any loss is a tough pill to swallow, but the Dallas Wings star was efficient and confident in all four quarters. The most significant impact she had was in the third quarter when she burst for 11 points and momentarily gave Dallas back the game.
Carrying the Offensive Load:
When the Wings couldn’t score late offensively, Arike Ogunbowale still proved to be their go-to scorer. Dallas had a multitude of big three-point looks in the fourth quarter that didn’t fall, but again, the veteran guard continued to attack and create offensive plays for teammates.
Much of the recent WNBA basketball news coverage has thus revolved around her leadership. Dallas is in the process of establishing chemistry with a young roster under new head coach Jose Fernandez, and Ogunbowale proves invaluable through some early-season growing pains.
Just days before the All-Star Game, building the Arike Ogunbowale WNBA spotlight came into much sharper focus against Indiana in Dallas’ nail-biting 2023 season opener. Ogunbowale scored 22 points and guided the Wings over Atlanta, 107-104.
And it also exemplified the exciting offensive possibilities within Dallas’ young nucleus. Ogunbowale must have felt right at home quarterbacking the offense, sharing playmaking duties with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. That combination has vaulted to the top of one of the largest updates for this season’s Dallas Wings.
A Bounce-Back Year in Progress:
Starting off on the right foot is especially important since Ogunbowale went through an arduous 2025 campaign. Questions remained: could she rediscover her elite form after battling injuries, shooting woes, and tough days offensively?
But through the first few games of 2026, it seems as if the four-time All-Star is back in full effect. Her confidence seems to have returned, her shot selection sounds precise and purposeful again and the aggressiveness is back.
It’s obviously a future Dallas believes in, too. Ogunbowale had previously signed a multi-year contract extension prior to the season that signified her as the cornerstone of the franchise moving forward.
Ogunbowale’s full scoring package is what continues to set her apart from most guards across the league. From hitting deep three-pointers to mid-range pull-up jumpers or explosive drives at the rim, you can test her under pressure and she will find a way to score.
Why Ogunbowale Remains Elite:
Ogunbowale is early on in the year and she’s already close to averaging 20 points per game while putting herself back into conversations around who will be the WNBA scoring leader. Still, the fearless shot-maker and ice-in-the-veins, clutch performer remains among the hardest players to defend.
At this point in her career, Arike Ogunbowale is the player defending teams have difficulties adjusting themselves against, as her performance spoke volumes. A scorer in isolation, someone who can finish plays intelligently off ball screens and a reliable source of points, even with the tightest defensive focus on her.
Dallas will need her to keep scoring as the season rolls on and provide the team with a chance to win and compete for playoff spots. Ogunbowale provides stability every night with his leadership and scoring consistency while the rest of the team’s young core is still building chemistry.
The Wings look to be one of the biggest surprises in the league this season if they can maintain their current form. Fans are already able to see a difference in the Dallas Wings and WNBA basketball news with the improved energy in play on both ends of the court.
For now, however, one message is impossible to ignore: Arike Ogunbowale has the pedal pushed all the way to the floor again—and everyone in the WNBA is taking notice.
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