DHJ Quick Take: Wings Part Ways With Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu
The Dallas Wings released center Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu from her developmental player contract, closing out a brief stint that did not produce a regular-season appearance.
- What did the Wings do? Dallas released Fankam Mendjiadeu from her developmental player contract. The 6-3 forward/center had signed in early May in the first use of the league’s new developmental player designation by the franchise.
- Why did they do it? The designation serves as a low-commitment depth piece, allowing the team to keep a familiar player in the building without using a standard roster spot. With the frontcourt of Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith, and Li Yueru healthy, Awak Kuier injured, and Fankam Mendjiadeu not playing, cutting her now frees up flexibility down the road.
- Why does it matter? It’s roster bookkeeping more than a basketball story, but it underscores that a team off to its best start since 2016 is making moves from a position of strength rather than out of emergency, as it did last season. Fankam Mendjiadeu, who played for Wings coach Jose Fernandez at South Florida, never logged a regular-season game in Dallas; all of her WNBA action came with the Seattle Storm, who drafted her 21st overall in 2023.
- What’s next? Dallas (6-3) visits the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday at 9 p.m. CT at Crypto.com Arena. The game airs nationally on ION.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings released forward Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu from her player development contract, the team announced.
The move ends a brief second stint with the Wings for the 6-foot-3 forward/center. Dallas signed her to a developmental player contract in early May, the first time the franchise used the league’s new developmental player designation. The deal allowed her to be activated for up to 12 games while practicing and traveling with the team without counting against the 12-player roster limit. She never appeared in a regular-season game for Dallas, and all of her WNBA game action has come with Seattle.
A Familiar Reunion With Jose Fernandez
Fankam Mendjiadeu arrived with a connection to the coaching staff, having played at South Florida under Wings coach Jose Fernandez. He pointed to that history when she signed, saying her experience translated to the pro level.
“Well, it’s not a secret, Dulcy played for me, so I like her basketball IQ,” Fernandez said. “She’s very familiar with the system. She’s had experience playing in the league and also playing in France, Spain and Serbia.”
The forward saw the move the same way, describing a relationship dating back to her college days and to a coach who pushed her early in her career.
“We always had a good relationship, to be honest. He’s really been helping me. He’s really been confident in me,” Fankam Mendjiadeu said. “So just having the chance to play with him again, I feel like it was meant to be because honestly, he was one of the first coaches who pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, trying new things and all that. He’s really been amazing on and off the court, so I really respect him. I’m hoping to learn more from him as we go up together on this higher stage.”
What Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu Hoped to Bring
Fankam Mendjiadeu joined a frontcourt that includes Maddy Siegrist, Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Awak Kuier; she leaned on the parts of her game she trusted most.
“I would say I bring my energy, also my defense and rebounding. That’s really what I’m known for,” Fankam Mendjiadeu said after her first practice. “So I’m hoping they will trust me enough to do all that.”
She also knew where her game needed to grow, pointing to the same skill the modern WNBA keeps demanding of its bigs.
“Mostly the shooting right now. That’s really one point that everybody’s been telling me — if I need to have a long career in the league, I need to have that jump shot because that’s where the league is going,” Fankam Mendjiadeu said. “So I know that I need to stretch my game to the three-point line. Right now I’m working on it. It’s going to be mine.”
A Winding Road to Dallas
A Cameroonian-American who turns 27 in July, Fankam Mendjiadeu was the 21st overall pick by the Seattle Storm in the 2023 draft. She appeared in 41 regular-season games over two seasons there. Most of that came as a rookie, when she started 21 of 34 games and averaged 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 2023.
Her role shrank to seven games in 2024, and she spent 2025 out of the WNBA, playing overseas. For her career, she averaged 3.4 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 52.7% from the field.
Dallas Wings Rolling Into the Weekend
The roster move comes as Dallas plays its best basketball in years. The Wings (6-3) are off to their best start through nine games since the franchise moved to North Texas in 2016 and have won three straight.
Dallas visits the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday.
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