Dallas Wings’ Maddy Siegrist Could Return Friday vs. Indiana Fever After 17-Game Absence

Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist will be upgraded to active on Friday night against the Indiana Fever, marking her return from a 17-game absence due to an anterolateral tibial plateau fracture in her right knee. However, it remains to be seen if she can play as the upcoming injury report looms.

Siegrist has been sidelined since mid-June, but her recovery process has steadily progressed. She’s remained active, getting reps on the practice court and traveling with the team despite being ruled out in advance on the injury report.

However, her progression had become apparent in recent days. A source tells DallasHoopsJournal.com that Siegrist participated fully in Wednesday’s shootaround before the 88-85 loss against the Atlanta Dream. Friday’s matchup at American Airlines Center will be her first game action in nearly seven weeks.

Maddy Siegrist’s Return Gives Dallas Wings Key Boost

The 2023 No. 3 overall pick was averaging 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds through 11 games this season before the injury. Her best performance came in a June 8 win over the Minnesota Lynx, where she totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes. For her career, Siegrist has averaged 6.5 points and 2.7 rebounds on 48.9% shooting across 77 games.

While Siegrist hadn’t found a rhythm from beyond the arc—shooting 23.3% on 2.7 attempts per game—she was one of the WNBA’s best offensive rebounders before her injury. She averaged 2.5 offensive rebounds per game (6th) and 3.5 second-chance points per game, trailing only A’Ja Wilson (3.6) and Kamilla Cardoso (3.5). Additionally, she was one of the team’s main positive perimeter defenders and lane penetrators.

“Maddy, in a lot of ways, embodies what we’re trying to cultivate here as an organization and as a new staff — the gratitude, the appreciation, and the commitment to doing what it takes to be a pro and handle your business the right way, on and off the floor,” Wings head coach Chris Koclanes said during training camp. “On the court, she competes like crazy. She doesn’t take plays off, does all the dirty work, and is willing to do whatever’s needed. Off the court, she’s the first to serve her community, and she’s the best teammate. She’s everything you want in a player within your organization.”

With a timely injury return, Siegrist will have a chance to achieve the goals she set before the season began. She put in a lot of work on her 3-point shooting and felt her time with Athletes Unlimited would translate to help her handle creating advantages against different matchups and to impact the game in different roles.

“My biggest focus was becoming more versatile,” Siegrist told DallasHoopsJournal.com during training camp. “I worked a lot on three-point shooting—being able to take more, make more, and get it off quicker. Athletes Unlimited was great for me because I got to play against so many different players and at different positions. I did a little bit of everything, and winning gave me a lot of confidence.”

Dallas Wings Face Rotation Decisions as Maddy Siegrist Re-Enters

Siegrist’s return gives Dallas 11 available players for just the third time since May, providing a much-needed depth boost to a roster that has endured a constant rotation of absences. The Wings are no longer eligible to sign hardship contracts after Grace Berger’s second seven-day deal expired on July 30.

The Wings face some tough decisions regarding playing time on the perimeter. Haley Jones has recently emerged as a starter, while DiJonai Carrington has remained in a bench role when Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale have both been in the lineup. With Siegrist re-entering the fold, Dallas appears to be a team to monitor ahead of the Aug. 7 trade deadline.

“It’s never personal,” Wings head coach Chris Koclanes said about some players not receiving playing time. “It’s just the flow of the game. There are 200 minutes to go around, and it’s tough. No one’s ever going to be fully happy with playing time. These are decisions I have to make to try and put the team in the best position to win. I won’t be perfect, but the players just have to stay ready. Opportunities will come.”

Dallas has dealt with a large number of absences resulting from injuries, national team obligations, and hardship contract expirations, but the team has taken pride in its handling of adversity. Aside from Tyasha Harris, who is out for the season with a knee injury, the Wings look forward to having a mostly full group.

“It feels good. It shows this team can face adversity and come back even stronger,” Aziaha James told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It really speaks to the mindset of this team.”

While it remains to be seen what Siegrist’s initial workload will look like coming off the injury, her presence could be especially valuable in Friday’s nationally televised matchup against the Fever. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ION in what the Wings are billing as “A Night in Dallas: The Sequel.”

More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors

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