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Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5), guard Aziaha James (10), center Li Yueru and guard GraceBerger celebrate on the bench after a three-pointer by Luisa Geiselsoder during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the New York Liberty at College Park Center on Monday, July 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
With free agency almost wrapped up and the WNBA draft<\/a> out of the way, the Dallas Wings will start training camp Sunday in Arlington.<\/p>\n Training camp will be the next step in the team\u2019s roster-building efforts, which have thus far included taking UConn star Azzi Fudd No. 1 overall<\/a> in the draft and signing big-time talent.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Teams across the league will have to finalize their rosters before the WNBA season tips off on May 8. Under the league\u2019s new collective bargaining agreement, all teams must have 12 active players and can sign up to two additional players on development contracts.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the Wings are working with heading into camp.<\/p>\n Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives around Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game at College Park Center on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Arlington.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n The returners<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers returns to the Wings alongside fellow 2025 draftees Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n All played solid rookie seasons, with Bueckers earning WNBA Rookie of the Year honors <\/a>after averaging 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game.<\/p>\n The 2025 rookies and forward Maddy Siegrist, taken by the Wings in the first round of the 2023 draft, were all under contract with the team entering the 2026 season. Siegrist averaged 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 2025.<\/p>\n Dallas had the rights to 6-7 center Li Yueru and guard Grace Berger, who were both members of the 2025 squad. They signed 2026 training camp contracts with the Wings, along with forward Amy Okonkwo, who appeared in eight games for Dallas last season.\u00a0Okonkwo was productive in her short time with the Wings, averaging 11 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Wings re-signed All-Star guard\u00a0Arike Ogunbowale<\/a> to a multiyear deal, as well as 6-6 center Awak Kuier<\/a>, the second overall pick in 2021 who hasn’t played in the WNBA since 2023.<\/p>\n UConn guard Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the first round of the WNBA basketball draft Monday, April 13, 2026, in New York.<\/p>\n Pamela Smith\/AP<\/p>\n The newcomers<\/p>\n The Wings also signed two 6-4 former Minnesota Lynx forwards to multiyear deals in free agency: Jessica\u00a0Shepard<\/a> and reigning co-defensive player of the year Alanna Smith.<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThey play at the highest level,\u201d Wings coach Jose Fernandez said Monday in a post-draft news conference<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re only going to make those perimeter players around them better.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas made these major moves before picking up Fudd and Tennessee\u2019s Zee Spearman<\/a> in Monday\u2019s draft. Fudd averaged 17.3 points on 48.1% shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists in her final collegiate season at UConn.\u00a0Spearman averaged 10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks for the Lady Volunteers in 2025-26.<\/p>\n \u201cShe can be a threat out at the 3-point line, but she\u2019s long, she\u2019s athletic, she can run, she can block shots, she\u2019s active,\u201d Fernandez said of Spearman. \u201cShe\u2019s ready to get to work and get to Dallas.\u201d<\/p>\n On Tuesday,\u00a0the Wings announced they were signing\u00a013-year veteran and former Washington Mystics forward\u00a0Alysha Clark. <\/a>According to ESPN, Clark and the Wings agreed to a one-year deal.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Other recent roster additions include center-forward Rayah Marshall<\/a>, whom the Wings acquired from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Diamond Miller, and veteran guard Lindsay Allen.<\/p>\n Dallas also signed Costanza Verona, Shyanne Sellers and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu to training camp contracts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve brought in a lot of great pieces,\u201d Siegrist told reporters on Monday at a Wings draft party in Dallas. \u201cWe\u2019ve signed a lot of great kids to camp, so I\u2019m really excited to get on the court with everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n Putting it all together\u00a0<\/p>\n The Wings invested in their frontcourt and have an arsenal of guards. Now, they\u2019ll have to piece it all together under Fernandez, who was named the team’s new head coach in October.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI think now having Paige and Arike and Azzi on the floor together, and what we addressed in free agency with our frontline, there\u2019s definitely different lineups that we can play,\u201d Fernandez said Monday in a post-draft news conference.<\/p>\n It took the Bueckers-Ogunbowale backcourt time to develop last season, when the Wings went 10-34. Particularly after the All-Star break, the pairing really took off. But Ogunbowale didn\u2019t finish the season due to injury.<\/p>\n Wings general manager Curt Miller said Monday in a post-draft news conference<\/a> that Fudd will complement that still-developing dynamic.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAzzi is the right fit with this group. Paige, Arike have the ball, and Azzi fits because she\u2019s so good off the ball. And we thought that was a really great combination,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited about the pieces. It\u2019s going to take a little bit of time for Jose to work his magic and to gel.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fernandez added: \u201cWhen you look at this roster and you look at Paige, Arike, and Azzi and Aziaha and Maddy and the frontline, we\u2019re tough to guard \u2026 Now, you add Jess and Alanna and you involve them in pick-and-roll situations with Paige. It\u2019s going to open up a lot of things for Arike and Azzi.\u201d<\/p>\n One thing the Wings have working in their favor is the history among players on the roster.<\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to our Terms Of Use<\/a> and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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