DHJ Quick Take: New Dallas Wings Pose Challenges
- Scouting Respect: Stephanie White highlighted the Wings’ massive offseason overhaul as a primary challenge, noting the additions of Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Alysha Clark force the Fever to “guard differently” than in 2025. She credited Jose Fernandez as an “outstanding coach” who has assembled a high-pedigree roster featuring four consecutive No. 1 overall picks.
- Defensive Anchoring: At shootaround, Alanna Smith (reigning Co-DPOTY) emphasized that tonight is about “one-percenters”—boxing out, crashing, and defensive containment. Her veteran presence is the mechanical necessity required to solidify the defensive identity Fernandez wants to install.
- Pace & Spacing Emphasis: Jose Fernandez is using this road opener to translate practice habits into live reps. His primary focus is on offensive spacing, transition defense, and how his active backcourt handles the perimeter pressure of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.
- Shorthanded Evaluation: Both squads enter Gainbridge Fieldhouse thinned. Indiana is without Aliyah Boston (lower leg) and Tyasha Harris (knee), while Dallas is navigating six absences, including Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard (overseas). This creates a high-leverage evaluation window for veteran point guard Lindsay Allen (probable) and the Wings’ depth.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White had no trouble naming what makes the Dallas Wings interesting heading into Thursday’s preseason matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The pairing of No. 1 overall picks Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, selected by Dallas in consecutive years, gives the Wings what White called a lot to be excited about.
The Fever coach credited the Wings’ offseason and the new-look roster head coach Jose Fernandez has assembled around the two former UConn teammates, even as the broadcast cameras on Thursday will inevitably swing to the Caitlin Clark vs. Bueckers storyline whenever both are on the floor.
Stephanie White Sees a ‘Different’ Dallas Wings
White spent the bulk of her Wednesday media availability talking about how Dallas has changed. The Wings’ offseason added 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, frontcourt finisher Jessica Shepard, three-time WNBA champion Alysha Clark, and veteran point guards Lindsay Allen and Odyssey Sims. Dallas paired that overhaul with the No. 1 overall pick, Azzi Fudd, fresh off a Final Four run at Connecticut.
“I think it’s going to be great. You’ve got two of the best young players in the world that are playing, that have kind of highlighted in terms of the coverage,” White said.
White then pivoted from the star storyline to the broader roster picture, including a nod to first-year Wings head coach Jose Fernandez.
“Back-to-back number-one picks with Dallas, a lot to be excited about,” White said. “Their free agency was really good. They’re going to have a different team. Jose is an outstanding coach. We’ve got to be prepared for a lot of different things.”
Both teams will take the floor without their full rosters. The Fever are without Aliyah Boston and a handful of others, while Dallas is missing several pieces returning from overseas. White said the thinned-down preseason matchup still has scouting value heading into the two teams’ May 9 regular-season opener.
“They don’t have everybody playing right now, so it really gives us an opportunity to guard differently than we had to in our last matchup, and as well as Nigeria,” White said. “It’ll give us an opportunity to have to guard different.”
She closed by acknowledging the limits of any preseason tape but emphasized the atmosphere a Wings-Fever matchup carries even before the regular season begins.
“So I expect it to be fun. It still is preseason, so it is what it is, but I think it should be a good atmosphere,” White said.
Dallas Wings Side: ‘Form and Solidify Our Identity’
While White was talking up the Wings from a scouting standpoint, Smith framed the Dallas approach to the night in identity terms during the team’s gameday shootaround.
“I think this is a really good opportunity for us to form and solidify our identity. I’m ultra-competitive, so the goal is to win, but also just to learn how to play together, build some chemistry, and get off on the right foot for the season,” Smith told Dallas Hoops Journal.
Smith also pointed to Indiana’s roster, even minus Boston, as a useful early measuring stick.
“Being able to compete against some of the best of the best is a privilege. It’s going to be great for us to test how we can play defense individually, but also together. So yeah, we’re excited,” Smith told Dallas Hoops Journal.
Jose Fernandez on Indiana’s Backcourt as a Defensive Test
Fernandez, who unofficially begins his first season as Wings head coach on Thursday, said he’s specifically watching how his perimeter defenders handle Indiana’s guards.
“It’ll be a good test for our guards in how we defend, dribble penetration, defending the arc, and where our help rotations come from,” Fernandez told Dallas Hoops Journal. “That’ll all be good to see.”
Even with Boston sidelined, Indiana’s backcourt rotation built around Clark and Kelsey Mitchell offers Dallas one of the toughest perimeter assignments it could draw to open the preseason.
Injuries Cut Both Sides
The Fever will be without Boston (lower leg), Lexie Hull (hamstring), Justine Pissott (lower leg), and former Wings guard Tyasha Harris (knee).
On the Dallas side, Arike Ogunbowale, Shepard, Awak Kuier, and Costanza Verona are all out as they continue working through the process of returning from overseas commitments. Rookie guard JJ Quinerly remains out as she recovers from October knee surgery, forward Rayah Marshall is in concussion protocol, and Allen carries a probable tag with a right hamstring designation.
The thinned rosters likely mean Clark and Bueckers don’t see anywhere close to a full workload Thursday, but White made clear that whatever minutes they do play will draw the room’s attention.
Up Next
The Wings tip off against the Indiana Fever at 6 p.m. CT Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the game airing nationally on ION and streaming on WNBA League Pass.
Dallas closes its preseason slate Sunday against the Las Vegas Aces at the Moody Center in Austin before opening the regular season May 9 in Indianapolis.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Wings WATCH: Azzi Fudd Gets Up Shots At Shootaround Before WNBA Preseason Debut
- ‘The Goal Is To Win’: Alanna Smith, Jose Fernandez Preview Dallas Wings’ Preseason Opener At Indiana Fever
- ‘She’s Going To Be Special’: Inside Azzi Fudd’s Early Impression At Dallas Wings Training Camp
- Dallas Wings Injury Report: Six Players Out For Preseason Opener Against Indiana Fever
- Azzi Fudd Throws Out First Pitch At Texas Rangers Game On Dallas Wings Night
- Dallas Wings Practice Recap: JJ Quinerly, Lindsay Allen Increase Activity, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu Debuts As Preseason Opener Looms
- Dallas Wings 2026 Media Day: Key Takeaways Featuring Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd And More
- Paige Bueckers On Dallas Wings’ New Offensive System: ‘Never A Stagnant Moment’
- ‘It’s About Want To’: Paige Bueckers’ Vocal Leadership Is Setting The Dallas Wings’ Training Camp Tone
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