Sources: Grace Berger Lands Rest-of-Season Contract With Dallas Wings Before Indiana Fever Matchup
The Dallas Wings are finalizing a rest-of-season contract for guard Grace Berger, a source confirmed to DallasHoopsJournal.com. The deal will be completed ahead of Tuesday’s nationally televised road matchup against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
For Berger, the signing caps a whirlwind stretch in which she joined the Wings on a series of seven-day contracts beginning in late July, fought for rotation minutes, and now secures a spot for the remainder of the season.
“I was hoping I’d be able to come back, and when I got the call, I was super excited,” Berger said. “This year has been up and down for me—I’ve been all over the place, all over the country, and had to play on a moment’s notice. Staying ready has been my mindset, and I’ve gotten really good at that over the past couple months—just staying where my feet are.”
The mental challenge of bouncing between contracts has been matched by the on-court adjustment of fitting into a new system in a limited time.
“I think if you stay present in the moment, all of that will take care of itself,” Berger explained. “I’ve learned you have to take success possession by possession in the WNBA, or you get exposed pretty easily if you’re not focused on the moment. I just try to go game by game as best I can.”
Berger, a former No. 7 overall pick by Indiana in 2023, will now have her contract locked in before facing her former team for the fourth and final time this season. The Fever have taken the first three meetings, including an Aug. 1 win in Dallas, part of a series that has been the most-attended in the WNBA this year, averaging 18,513 fans per game and highlighted by a Wings franchise-record 20,409 on June 27.
Dallas (8–24) enters Tuesday’s game after closing out a two-game homestand with a 91–78 loss to the Washington Mystics on Sunday. Paige Bueckers led the Wings with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. Indiana (18–14) is coming off a 92–70 home win over the Chicago Sky, paced by Kelsey Mitchell’s 26 points.
Grace Berger Stepping Into a Larger Role
Since joining Dallas in late July on a series of seven-day contracts, Berger has appeared in six games and made her first career start Sunday against Washington, finishing with zero points (0-for-5 FG), one rebound, two assists, and two steals in 19 minutes. She previously set season highs in playing time in back-to-back outings, logging 21 minutes with two points, four assists, and one steal against New York before producing six points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 30 minutes versus Washington.
“Grace is a great player,” Haley Jones told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She deserves to be in the league. I think she brings a lot of poise, gets to the rim, makes the right read, and her pull-up game is great. It felt like she was gone forever, but really, she just missed one game. She flowed right back into the team, did what she needed to do. It was great to have her back out there again.”
Berger said her transition into the Wings’ offensive system has been seamless. She credits the team’s emphasis on ball movement, spacing, and unselfish play for making it easy for her to adapt her game and find a rhythm alongside established scorers like Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.
“There are people on the team who are really easy to play with—Paige, Arike,” Berger said. “They already have their play style set, but our focus is on attacking, moving the ball, drawing two and kicking, getting the best shot, and passing up a good shot for a great shot. That’s what we’ve been working on, and it’s easy to fit into that because I like to play that way.”
She credits extensive film study for keeping her sharp and accelerating her adjustment, particularly after spending stretches outside the league earlier this season, using it to break down her own play, study opponents’ tendencies, and better understand the Wings’ schemes on both ends of the floor.
“Film has been really good for me,” Berger told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I had a couple months where I was in and out of the league, and I’m still somewhat new to this team, so actually seeing myself on film—there’s nothing that can replicate those game reps. It’s helped me see, especially on the defensive end, how I can do better, make my teammates better, and fit into the team.”
That defensive improvement has been a focal point in her push to secure consistent minutes within a competitive backcourt rotation. Berger emphasizes on-ball discipline, physicality, and the ability to stay engaged through entire possessions against some of the league’s top perimeter scorers.
“Defensively is our main point of focus,” Berger said. “Just simple things we can control—taking pride in guarding one-on-one so we don’t need help, don’t need rotations, and don’t ultimately give up open shots. We know they’re a veteran, championship-quality team. One mistake and they take advantage of it immediately and knock down their shots. So we just have to be more locked in.”
Grace Berger Draws Organization Confidence From Dallas Wings
General manager Curt Miller praised Berger’s seamless fit and immediate impact since joining the roster, highlighting how her unselfish style, decision-making, and ability to complement the team’s star players have strengthened the Wings’ backcourt depth.
“[Paige] enjoys being off the ball and then brought back into actions, not worn down by defensive point guards pressuring her full court,” Miller told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She works well with a true point guard. Grace Berger’s recent acquisition has been great—she keeps the ball moving, doesn’t hunt her own shots, and looks to get the star players shots.”
Head coach Chris Koclanes pointed to Berger’s poise in organizing the offense, her commitment to keeping possessions structured, and the physical edge she brings defensively, noting her size, length, and willingness to battle against elite guards and stay active in plays around the rim.
“That was the feel,” Koclanes said of giving Berger over 20 minutes in New York. “She got in, and I liked that on offense, she was keeping it simple, moving the ball, and getting it where it needed to go. She had us organized. Defensively, she competes. She’s bigger and longer than you think, she’s physical, and she can stay in plays. I thought she did a really good job at times against Cloud, even on Sabrina, just staying straight up around the rim. She brought another fight and toughness that we needed.”
Paige Bueckers also emphasized the value Berger brings to the Wings, recognizing her ability to execute her role with precision, elevate the team’s tempo, and contribute on both ends without overextending herself.
“She’s perfect in her role,” Bueckers told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She knows what she’s good at and what she’s capable of — getting the offense organized, pushing the tempo, being aggressive on both sides of the floor. She doesn’t try to do too much and plays within herself. It’s been a really good deal for her.”
From Indiana to Dallas Wings
Berger was originally selected No. 7 overall by the Fever in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She played two seasons in Indiana before being waived ahead of the 2025 campaign. In June, she signed a hardship deal with the Los Angeles Sparks, making one appearance, and later had a brief preseason stint with the Minnesota Lynx.
In college, Berger starred at Indiana University, totaling 1,841 points, 573 assists, and 752 rebounds while becoming the program’s all-time winningest player with 118 victories. She earned All-Big Ten First Team honors and AP All-American Honorable Mention in her final season.
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