The Dallas Wings will have reinforcements in the backcourt, but face a new frontcourt concern when they take on the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night.
Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Month Paige Bueckers is no longer listed on the injury report after working through illness and a calf strain. Rookie guard Aziaha James is expected to return after missing two games with a right ankle injury. But forward Myisha Hines-Allen has been added to the report as questionable due to illness, a new development for a Dallas team already limited in the paint.
Paige Bueckers Cleared, Aziaha James Returns
Bueckers continues to pace Dallas in her first WNBA season, averaging 18.9 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 33 games. She scored a team-high 17 points in Monday’s 96-71 loss at Minnesota and is now fully cleared to play.
James, who has provided steady backcourt depth with 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in 35 appearances, is set to rejoin the rotation after her two-game absence. She last played against Connecticut, where she scored 22 points and tallied six assists before exiting late with an ankle injury. There was a clear progression seen in her participation in Monday’s shootaround at Target Center.
Her return helps stabilize a guard group that is missing four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale (right knee tendonitis), veteran guard Tyasha Harris (left knee surgery), and rookie guard JJ Quinerly (left ACL sprain). The team has ruled out Harris and Quinerly for the season, while Ogubowale remains without a timetable for a return.
Dallas Wings’ Injury Report Still Lengthy
Hines-Allen’s potential absence adds pressure to an already thin Dallas frontcourt. She has averaged 7.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists across 37 games this season while filling extended minutes inside.
In the frontcourt, the Wings remain without rookie forward Luisa Geiselsöder (right shoulder), center Li Yueru (left ACL sprain), and forward Haley Jones (right knee). To meet roster minimums, Dallas signed 6-foot-3 forward Ajae Petty to a seven-day hardship contract and brought back guards Serena Sundell and Christyn Williams on hardship deals for backcourt depth. If Petty sees the floor, Dallas would tie the WNBA single-season record of 21 players used.
The Wings (9-32) enter having lost two straight. Golden State (22-18) has won four in a row, including a 66-58 victory over New York on Tuesday. Dallas won the teams’ first meeting this season before the Valkyries took the next two.
Tipoff at Chase Center is set for 9 p.m. CT, and the broadcast will air locally in Dallas-Fort Worth on KFAA29.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “Super Grateful for the Opportunity”: Christyn Williams Embraces Hardship Stint With Dallas Wings
- WNBA News: “Part of the Business”: Diamond Miller Returns to Minnesota in Dallas Wings’ Loss to Lynx
- WNBA News: “I’d Pay to Watch Her Play”: Sue Bird Praises Paige Bueckers’ Rookie Season With Dallas Wings
- WNBA News: “We Got Extremely Close”: Paige Bueckers Reunites With DiJonai Carrington as Dallas Wings Fall to Minnesota Lynx
- WNBA News: “She’s Terrific in That Space”: Cheryl Reeve Praises Paige Bueckers Despite Dallas Wings’ Loss to Minnesota Lynx
- WNBA News: “We’ll Figure This Thing Out”: Paige Bueckers Echoes Stephen Curry in Message to Dallas Wings Fans
- WNBA News: “She Shows Up Every Night”: Cynthia Cooper Lauds Paige Bueckers’ Historic Rookie Season With Dallas Wings
- WNBA News: Inside Dallas Wings’ Navigation of Hardship Signings Amid Injury Crisis
- WNBA News: “Paige Will Be a Unifier”: Curt Miller Details Dallas Wings’ Roster Plan Around Paige Bueckers
