DHJ Quick Take: Jessica Shepard, Alanna Smith Return to Minnesota as Wings Visit Lynx
Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith return to Target Center on Tuesday for the first time since signing with Dallas in free agency, as the Wings look to extend their winning streak against the team both forwards called home last season.
- Why does Tuesday matter for Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith? They return to Target Center for the first time since leaving the Lynx in free agency to sign with Dallas.
- How have Shepard and Smith fit with the Wings? Shepard is averaging 13.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, while Smith brings veteran leadership and 2025 co-Defensive Player of the Year credentials to a young roster.
- What are the Wings playing for? Dallas can extend its winning streak to five and earn its first win at Target Center since July 12, 2023.
- What’s next? The Wings (7-3) face the Lynx (9-2) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT at Target Center, with local coverage on KFAA.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Wings (7-3) visit the Minnesota Lynx (9-2) on Tuesday at Target Center, a road game that carries added meaning for Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith. The two forwards return to Minnesota for the first time since leaving the Lynx in free agency to sign with Dallas.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT, with the game airing locally on KFAA.
Jessica Shepard Returns to the Team That Drafted Her
Minnesota selected Shepard with the 16th pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft, and she spent last season with the Lynx before reaching free agency. She said the building still means something to her.
“I think about some of the relationships I built during my time here, from the training staff to some of the players I played with,” Shepard said. “Obviously, this is the place that drafted me, so it’s where a childhood dream came true. It’s a special place for me.”
Shepard has been one of the league’s most productive players through the first month. Across 10 games, she is averaging 13.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, becoming the second player in WNBA history to average at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists through a season’s first 10 games, joining Alyssa Thomas. She is the only player in the league posting those numbers this season.
She enters Tuesday 9 points shy of 1,000 for her career and 4 assists shy of 400. Shepard has recorded 2 triple-doubles with Dallas this season after becoming just the second Lynx player to record one a year ago. In Friday’s 104-96 win over the Los Angeles Sparks, she posted 22 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals for her sixth double-double of the season.
Shepard credited the Wings’ pace and the scorers around her for the quick fit.
“I think it’s our pace offensively. When you have great scorers all around you, it makes things easier,” Shepard said. “The guards trust me with the ball in my hands, which allows me to make decisions offensively and be involved more. That trust goes a long way.”
Alanna Smith Reflects on Two Seasons in Minnesota
Smith spent two seasons with the Lynx and was named the WNBA’s co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 before signing with Dallas in free agency. She said walking back into Target Center brought back the highs of her time there.
“It’s nostalgic in the best ways,” Smith said. “I was saying to the others, I can’t remember the last time I’ve been down in the locker room, so I was like, ‘I don’t know where anything is.’ But no, it feels good to be back.”
The memory that stands out, she said, is Minnesota’s run to the WNBA Finals.
“Specifically, what comes to mind is playing in the Finals series here and how much it meant to the city and to us to have the city get behind the Lynx,” Smith said. “That was really cool.”
Now in her eighth season, Smith has taken on a veteran role with a young Dallas roster. She is averaging 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in nine games this season.
“A lot of the time I don’t even think of myself as a vet. This is my eighth season, but I feel like I still have a youthful presence,” Smith said. “When you’ve got a talented team that’s so young and has the potential to be really good, it would be remiss not to share what you’ve learned over the years. I’m just trying to help in any way I can.”
A Reunion Built in Minnesota
Shepard and Smith were teammates in Minnesota last season, and Smith said the familiarity has carried over to Dallas. She also has history with two of the Wings’ guards, having played alongside Arike Ogunbowale and against Paige Bueckers in Unrivaled.
“It’s been awesome. She’s been a great source of support,” Smith said of Shepard. “But I’ve also played with Arike in Unrivaled, and I played against Paige in Unrivaled, too, so I know her pretty well. Having someone that I spent so much time with last year has definitely been helpful, but it’s also nice seeing other familiar faces.”
Both players are bracing for an emotional reception. The Lynx gave former guard Natisha Hiedeman an ovation when she returned to Target Center with the Seattle Storm recently, and Shepard and Smith expect Minnesota’s crowd to do the same.
“I think about it now and I get emotional because the memories are so good,” Smith said. “Being appreciated even when you’re on the opposition is really cool. I’ll always have that special relationship with Lynx fans.”
Shepard echoed that.
“The fans have always been amazing here in Minnesota, from the way they support the team during games to the way they interact outside the gym,” Shepard said. “They’re always full of kind words, so it’ll be exciting to see some of those faces again.”
What’s at Stake for the Dallas Wings
Dallas arrives on a four-game winning streak after the road win over Los Angeles on Friday, when Ogunbowale scored a season-high 30 points, and Bueckers recorded a career-high 14 assists, tying the franchise single-game record. A win Tuesday would extend the streak to five, the team’s longest since the 2023 regular season.
It would also be a measure of progress against a familiar obstacle. The Wings are seeking their first regular-season win over the Lynx since August 30, 2024, and their first victory at Target Center since July 12, 2023. Minnesota won the season’s first meeting 90-86 in Arlington on May 14 and leads the all-time series 58-21.
Dallas has built its fast start on ball movement. The Wings lead the WNBA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.02 and are the first team in league history to average more than 2 assists per turnover through their first 10 games.
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