Dallas Wings Set Luisa Geiselsöder and Teaira McCowan to Active After EuroBasket
The Dallas Wings will receive a long-awaited boost to their interior rotation on Thursday night as Luisa Geiselsöder and Teaira McCowan return to the lineup following international duties at EuroBasket. Both players are expected to be active for the Wings’ home matchup against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center.
“They should be back for our Phoenix game,” head coach Chris Koclanes confirmed on Saturday.
The returns come at a critical juncture for Dallas, which has had to manage without McCowan since her final appearance on June 6 against the Los Angeles Sparks and without Geiselsöder since June 13 against the Las Vegas Aces. During that stretch, the Wings leaned heavily on newly acquired center Li Yueru, who was traded from the Seattle Storm on June 14.
McCowan, who has played exclusively off the bench this season, has averaged 5.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in just 14.1 minutes per game.
Geiselsöder, who joined the Wings five years after being drafted, played a growing role before her EuroBasket departure. After totaling just seven minutes across her first two games as she got acclimated to the WNBA, she emerged as a reliable two-way contributor. In her final five games before leaving, Geiselsöder averaged 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks while playing 28.8 minutes per contest.
Her departure for Germany’s national team was a difficult one.
“It’s tough to leave the team right now,” Geiselsöder said. “With the score we have right now, it’s hard. I would like to stay and help the team win.”
Li Yueru Stepping In During EuroBasket Stretch
With both Geiselsöder and McCowan unavailable, the Wings turned to Yueru, acquiring the 6-foot-7 Chinese national team center from Seattle in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick (with swap rights involving Connecticut) and a 2027 third-round pick (with swap rights involving Indiana).
The move was requested by Yueru, who had been seeing limited minutes with the Storm, averaging 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes over nine appearances before the trade.
Since arriving in Dallas, Yueru has steadily expanded her role. While her early outings featured six minutes or fewer—including a 13-minute appearance in her fourth game—she has averaged 7.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 25.8 minutes over her past five games. She’s shown interior touch, rebounding instincts, and improved chemistry with the backcourt.
“She’s a dynamic post player—great size, inside-out skillset,” Koclanes said after her first team practice. “She’s going to pick up our actions quick, and we’re looking forward to adding her to the mix.”
New Combinations with Luisa Geiselsöder, Teaira McCowan
Koclanes highlighted Yueru’s ability to shoot from the perimeter but also stressed the importance of using her frame to impose pressure in the paint.
“She’s a really good three-point shooter—we’re confident in her ability to space,” Koclanes said. “But we’ve got to encourage her to bring that size to the rim, put pressure on the paint, and use it for offensive rebounding. That’s where she can make a real impact.”
Yueru, who previously played under Wings general manager Curt Miller and assistants Camille Smith and Nola Henry with the Los Angeles Sparks, said the familiarity has helped her transition.
“It’s like old friends,” Yueru said. “They know me, and they know how to teach me.”
With Geiselsöder and McCowan back and Yueru hitting her stride, Dallas has more size in the frontcourt than at any point in the Paige Bueckers era. The Wings can experiment with larger lineups and explore combinations that maximize Geiselsöder’s passing, McCowan’s rim protection, and Yueru’s mobility.
The timing couldn’t be better as Dallas looks to build momentum following a tough early-season stretch. JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James—both part of the Wings’ 2024 draft class—have continued to play significant minutes in the backcourt alongside Arike Ogunbowale and Bueckers, who remains day-to-day with a right knee injury.
DiJonai Carrington is still out after suffering a rib injury in the June 20 win at Connecticut, and Tyasha Harris remains sidelined for the season following left knee surgery.
Despite a 4–14 record, the Wings are optimistic about what’s ahead, especially with their frontcourt finally intact.
“We’re excited,” Koclanes said earlier this season. “This is the kind of roster balance that gives us optionality, especially with what Luisa and Li bring. It helps our guards, it helps our pace, and it helps us defensively.”
Tipoff against the Mercury is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Thursday at College Park Center.
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