How The Vision Behind The Dallas Wings’ Roster Came To Life Against The Defending Champion Las Vegas Aces

ARLINGTON, Texas — As the Dallas Wings pull out their largest margin of victory yet, a 96-66 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Monday, the puzzle coach Jose Fernandez put together months ago is beginning to click.

The win marked their second over the defending champions, a streak the Wings have never been able to sustain as a modern franchise. Five players hit double figures during the night’s game, and the team recorded above their average with 30 assists.

Fernandez credits the team around him for the one he was able to build on the court this season. In the 40-minute stretch against the Aces, each of Dallas’ scouting and hiring decisions was visible.

“It was my job to come here and talk about standards and the way that we wanted to play,” Fernandez said. “But then go from a coach-led team to a player-led team, you know. And also, that was a great response by them today. You know, I got a really good coaching staff. It’s not about me, it’s about the people that I’ve surrounded myself with, and then all the people from behind the scenes.”

An Eye Abroad

During his tenure at the University of South Florida, Fernandez was among the first women’s college coaches to recruit internationally. In his inaugural season leading the Bulls, he had a program-best recruiting class grade. Continuing that habit, two of Monday night’s starters, Jessica Shepard and Awak Kuier, piqued his interest because of their performances outside of the U.S.

Coming off a Defensive Player of the Year campaign in the EuroLeague, Kuier was looked to, alongside Alanna Smith, as a remedy for Wings’ size and center issues. On Monday, her first start with the Wings since 2023, she held A’ja Wilson to 18 points and led the team in blocks.

“I think she feels really, really comfortable,” Fernandez said after the game. “And she changes things in pick-and-roll coverage, and from the help side, because of her length.”

During free agency, Fernandez said he believed Jessica Shepard could fit the mold of facilitating forwards like Alyssa Thomas. On Monday, Shepard neared her third triple-double, which would have made her one of two players to record more than two in a single season in WNBA history, the other being Thomas.

No Doubt

Two months ago, Fernandez responded to early questions about Azzi Fudd‘s role on Dallas’ roster. He said he had no doubt the rookie was the right player for this franchise, his team needed 3-point shooting and to stretch the floor and he knew she would be successful in his system.

Six games after her first WNBA start, Fudd shot a nearly perfect game against the Las Vegas Aces. Going 8-of-9 from the field, she played with the confidence in her ability that Fernandez has been stressing since her first practice as a Wing.

Fernandez cautioned in early April that Fudd would have to adjust to WNBA defenses, something that proved to be true in her first half of the season. On Monday, her growth was visible as she handled defensive pressure from veterans Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray.

“She doesn’t get frazzled,” Fernandez said. “She doesn’t get rushed, kept her composure. She keeps it real simple. She doesn’t have a three, now people lock up, now you know people are flying by, she gets to her mid-range, people crowd her, now she’s putting the ball down the floor and getting to the rim.”

On The Same Page

Before the 2026 season, Fernandez’s conversations with Wings veteran Arike Ogunbowale revolved around what she wanted her legacy to be in Dallas. She has played under five coaches in her eight seasons, and by her fifth season, was the only player from her rookie-year roster to remain.

Alongside Paige Bueckers, this new team, with five returning Wings, allows her to play a different type of game. On Monday, with Bueckers and Fudd drawing the Aces’ defensive heartbeat, Ogunbowale was able to get looks. She led the team in points with 22 and added a season-high 7 assists.

“I thought when she created she looked to find people,” Fernandez said. “It’s been a big growth in Arike, right, because she’s had to be a high-volume type of guy. Well, she doesn’t have to be that on this team, because we have Paige, we have Azzi, we have Jess Shepard.”

Ogunbowale added that communication played a huge part in the win over Las Vegas. Monday’s starting lineup, which swapped Alanna Smith for Kuier, had never played a game together. After separating from the Aces in the second quarter, completing a 23-6 run in the first six minutes, the group found a rhythm.

“We were talking,” Ogunbowale said. “We were scrambling, you know, if we needed somebody to help after a switch, and there was an X out, we were talking. Offensively, you know, when Jess gets the ball, she’s talking to us to run the lanes, and you know, telling us where to go. So, I think we were really just on the same page today.”

The Latest Piece Of The Puzzle

The Wings’ latest component, Sug Sutton, who they signed to a rest-of-season contract on Sunday, made her first appearance in a Dallas jersey tonight, tallying 21 minutes and 4 assists.

Without a practice under her belt, the former Portland Fire player adjusted to the Wings system in game, coming in as one of the first subs in the first quarter. Ogunbowale hailed her ‘steadiness’ and credited it to her league experience.

That experience is what Fernandez was looking for in Sutton. After a road loss to the Fire on Saturday, Dallas’ lull in playmaking confidence when Bueckers is off the court became obvious. Sutton offers Fernandez another option as a ball handler, which she proved on Monday when she made an immediate impact on defense.

“She had active hands and played really, really hard,” Fernandez said. “She looked like a veteran out there, and that gave us an opportunity to play Paige off the ball, which that’s what we want to do.”

Although it’s a small sample size, sharing just shy of five minutes together on Monday night, 4 of Bueckers’ 11 looks came when Sutton was on the court.

More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal

• ‘A Big Area Of Growth’: Jose Fernandez Praises Arike Ogunbowale’s Playmaking In Dallas Wings’ Win Over Las Vegas Aces
• ‘Just Being Really Selfless’: Arike Ogunbowale Praises Defense, Selfless Ball Movement In Dallas Wings’ Rout Of Las Vegas
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• Azzi Fudd Felt ‘Really Settled’ During Career-Best Shooting Night In Dallas Wings’ Rout Of Las Vegas
• ‘We’re Ready To Compete With Anybody’: Dallas Wings Rout Las Vegas 96-66, Snap Aces’ Six-Game Win Streak
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