The Dallas Wings will be without rookie guard JJ Quinerly on Friday against the Seattle Storm as she continues to be evaluated after leaving Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks with a left knee injury.
Quinerly had to be helped off the floor early in the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. She was able to put weight on her leg before exiting, but the team confirmed she will not be available on Friday while the evaluation process continues.
Quinerly has averaged 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 34 games this season, providing steady backcourt depth during a season defined by roster attrition.
Before Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles, Wings head coach Chris Koclanes praised Quinerly’s impact while also noting the challenge of transitioning her into more of a playmaking role.
“JJ, I’ve loved her spark off the bench. She’s been in and out of the starting lineup as well, but I’ve loved her spark,” Koclanes said. “Her energy, her tempo offensively — she gets that ball up the floor and gets us rolling. Defensively, her energy and tenacity — she competes at the point of attack and gives us a presence everyone feeds off of.
“In college, she wasn’t a point guard — she was a scoring guard, wired to score,” he explained. “We’ve challenged her to not lose that aggression, but to also find those moments to get others involved and try to be more of a point guard and lead our team that way. Really excited about JJ’s future.”
JJ Quinerly Joins Lengthy Dallas Wings Injury Report
The Wings have dealt with many injuries throughout the season, with several key players sidelined long term. Arike Ogunbowale, a four-time All-Star, is out without a timetable for return with tendinitis in her right knee and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. Li Yueru, who emerged as a reliable interior presence, is out for the remainder of the season with a left ACL sprain suffered on Aug. 15 against Los Angeles. Tyasha Harris remains sidelined for the season after undergoing left knee surgery.
Friday’s game will mark the 27th game this season in which Dallas has played with 10 or fewer available players. The Wings will have only nine players in uniform against Seattle, including a hardship addition who has not practiced with the team. By Sunday, the Wings will easily surpass 100 games missed due to injuries or national team obligations, with Friday’s matchup pushing the total to 98.
The toll has reached historic levels, with Dallas approaching 80% of its schedule played with 10 or fewer available players. In many cases, those numbers have included hardship signees who either had no practice time with the group or only a handful of sessions.
Roster Help Added
To address the depleted depth, Dallas signed 28-year-old forward Amy Okonkwo to a seven-day hardship contract. The 6-foot-2 forward has built her career internationally, starring for the Nigerian national team and recently playing for Bourges in France. She will be available against Seattle and could make her WNBA regular-season debut.
The Wings (9-27) were eliminated from postseason contention but have eight games left in the regular season, including Friday’s contest against the Storm.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings’ Li Yueru Out for Season With ACL Sprain, Arike Ogunbowale Has No Timetable With Knee Tendinitis
- WNBA News: “Li Was a Big Presence”: Li Yueru Out for Season With ACL Sprain, Dallas Wings Adjust Before Los Angeles Sparks Rematch
- WNBA News: “Our Spacing and Ball Movement Are Encouraging”: Arike Ogunbowale Sidelined With Knee Tendinitis as Dallas Wings Offense Surges
- WNBA News: “We’ve Got to Be Better Defensively”: Dallas Wings Overwhelmed by Las Vegas Aces’ 18 Threes, A’ja Wilson in Loss
- WNBA News: “It’s About How You Contribute to Winning”: Paige Bueckers Breaks Dallas Wings Rookie Assist Record, Fastest to 500 Points
- WNBA News: “I Saw That Dog in Her Today”: Paige Bueckers Shines but Dallas Wings’ Late Rally Falls Short vs. Los Angeles Sparks
- WNBA News: “Paige Will Be a Unifier”: Curt Miller Details Dallas Wings’ Roster Plan Around Paige Bueckers
