DHJ Quick Take: Depth and Development
- The Return of Okonkwo: Amy Okonkwo was a revelation in her 8-game stint last season, averaging 11.0 points and proving she can score at the WNBA level. Her recent dominance with Nigeria and Beşiktaş makes her a frontrunner for one of the final roster or developmental spots.
- EuroLeague Pedigree: Costanza Verona brings a veteran “pure point guard” presence that Dallas has scouted heavily. As a three-time Italian Supercup champion with Schio, her ability to facilitate (4.0 APG) provides a legitimate secondary floor general option behind the Wings‘ star backcourt.
- The USF Connection: The signing of Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu is a strategic “comfort” move for the coaching staff. Having played under Jose Fernandez at USF, she has familiarity with his defensive schemes and rebounding expectations, giving her a distinct advantage in a shortened training camp window.
- Capitalizing on the New CBA: These four players are the first to compete for the Wings‘ two new developmental spots. This rule change allows Curt Miller to keep high-upside players like Shyanne Sellers—who just dropped 21.9 PPG in Israel—within the organization rather than losing them to the waiver wire.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings have signed forward Amy Okonkwo, guards Costanza Verona and Shyanne Sellers, and forward/center Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu to training camp contracts, the team announced. The additions come as Dallas rounds out its roster ahead of the 2026 season under the new CBA, which now provides teams with two developmental roster spots — giving organizations additional flexibility to evaluate talent beyond the standard 12-player limit.
The four signings represent a diverse group of backgrounds and skill sets. Okonkwo returns after turning heads in limited action during her 2025 WNBA debut with the Wings. Verona is the floor general for Italy’s national team and one of the more decorated players in Italian league history. Sellers put up eye-opening numbers overseas after going unretained following her 2025 draft year. Fankam Mendjiadeu steps back into a familiar situation, rejoining head coach Jose Fernandez after the two won together at South Florida.
Together, they give Dallas a training camp group with a real professional pedigree, competing for developmental spots on a roster that has undergone a dramatic transformation this offseason.
Amy Okonkwo Returns
Amy Okonkwo knows what Dallas is. She was here last season, arrived on a hardship contract, and made enough of an impression to earn a rest-of-season deal. In 8 games, she averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 1.4 steals — finishing in double figures 5 times, including a career-high 20 points against the Phoenix Mercury on September 11.
The 6-foot-2 TCU product spent the offseason with Beşiktaş in Turkey, averaging 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game in KBSL play. Her international resume carries weight beyond the club level — Okonkwo has competed in two Olympics with Nigeria and owns back-to-back FIBA AfroBasket MVP awards, leading the team to consecutive titles in 2023 and 2025. She arrives in camp among the more decorated players in the group.
Costanza Verona Brings Euroleague Experience
Costanza Verona has spent the better part of a decade becoming one of the best point guards in European women’s basketball, and now she gets a shot at the WNBA level.
Italy’s starting point guard at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico this past March, Verona averaged 6.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and a team-best 3.5 assists over five games as the Azzurre punched their ticket to the 2026 FIBA World Cup.
At the club level, she has spent five seasons with Schio — one of the premier Euroleague programs on the continent — winning three Italian Supercups (2022, 2023, 2026) and five Italian Cups (2022-2026) along the way. This past season, she averaged 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Running an offense at that level of European competition is not a small thing.
Shyanne Sellers Arrives With Professional Production
The Golden State Valkyries liked Shyanne Sellers enough to take her 17th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Neither the Valkyries nor the Atlanta Dream — where she also attended camp — kept her on their opening-day roster, but what she did after that has made a compelling case for another look.
Sellers spent the 2025-26 season with Maccabi Haifa in Israel, where she was the team’s best player from start to finish — averaging 21.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over 23 appearances. At Maryland, she earned First Team All-Big Ten recognition in each of her final three seasons, the All-Big Ten Defensive Team nod in 2023, and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year in 2022. A Wade Trophy finalist and AP All-America Honorable Mention in her senior year, the 6-foot-2 guard has the college résumé and the overseas production to push for a spot.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu Reunites With Jose Fernandez
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu and Fernandez have a history. The 6-foot-3 forward/center from Cameroon played under Fernandez at South Florida, where she was named AAC Co-Player of the Year in 2023 and helped the Bulls win the conference’s regular-season title. When Fernandez was hired to lead the Wings, it created a natural path back together.
Fankam Mendjiadeu spent parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Seattle after the Storm selected her 21st overall in 2023, appearing in 41 games and averaging 3.5 points and 4.0 rebounds. She has since built a productive overseas career with stops in Spain, France, and Serbia. Her most recent season with Crvena zvezda saw her average 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, as the club advanced to the Serbian Cup final. The connection to the head coach gives her evaluation in camp a built-in foundation.
A Busy Offseason for the Dallas Wings
The training camp signings cap a transformative offseason for the Wings. General manager Curt Miller re-signed franchise scoring leader Arike Ogunbowale on a multi-year deal, signed reigning Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith to a three-year maximum contract, brought back center Awak Kuier after three dominant seasons in Europe, and added forward Jessica Shepard — who led the WNBA in field goal percentage in 2025 — on a multi-year deal.
Center Li Yueru and guard Grace Berger accepted qualifying offers as restricted free agents. Forward Jessica Shepard — a Notre Dame national champion and former college teammate of Ogunbowale — also signed on a multi-year deal after leading the WNBA in field goal percentage in 2025.
Dallas also holds the No. 1 overall pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft on April 13, along with the No. 31 overall selection.
Up Next for the Dallas Wings
The Wings open the 2026 season on the road against the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 9, at noon CT, before making their home debut at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, May 12, at 7 p.m. against the Atlanta Dream.
More Wings & WNBA Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
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- ‘Our Top Target’: Dallas Wings Sign Reigning WNBA Co-Defensive Player Of The Year Alanna Smith To Three-Year Max Deal
- ‘A Huge Priority’: Curt Miller Details Why Dallas Wings Brought Back Center Awak Kuier
- Curt Miller Praises Arike Ogunbowale’s ‘Undeniable’ Commitment To Dallas Wings, Details Re-Signing All-Time Scoring Leader
- ‘High Basketball IQ’: Curt Miller Details Why Jessica Shepard Was A Free-Agent Priority For The Dallas Wings
- Sources: Dallas Wings Agree To Multi-Year Deal With Jessica Shepard In WNBA Free Agency
- Sources: Arike Ogunbowale Re-Signing With Dallas Wings On Historic Multi-Year Deal
- Sources: Dallas Wings Re-Signing Awak Kuier After Overseas Development
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