archiveJessica Shepard

DHJ Quick Take: The Blueprint for Indy The Boston Variable: The biggest shift from preseason to Saturday is the presence of Aliyah Boston. In the preseason meeting, the Wings dominated the paint (50-30), but with Boston back, Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith face an "elite passer" and finisher who can...

DHJ Quick Take: The Paige Bueckers Era is Here The Ultimate Endorsement: Being voted the #1 player to build a franchise around by WNBA GMs—beating out a four-time MVP in A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark—is the definitive "passing of the torch" moment. It proves that the basketball world views Bueckers’...

DHJ Quick Take: Expanding the Roster Through New CBA Rules The New Roster Layer: The addition of Costanza Verona and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu marks the first time the Wings are utilizing the league's new Developmental Player designation. This setup allows Dallas to keep two high-caliber pros in the building to...

DHJ Quick Take: Arike Ogunbowale’s Legacy of Loyalty The Culture Shift: Arike Ogunbowale’s decision to re-sign for less than the super max is the foundational move of the Jose Fernandez era. By prioritizing roster flexibility over personal salary, she helped facilitate the signings of Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, proving...

DHJ Quick Take: Arike Ogunbowale Returns to Dallas Wings The Saturday Outlook: Arike Ogunbowale’s "for sure" status for the opener in Indianapolis is the definitive takeaway. After a 2-0 preseason without her, the Wings reintegrate their cornerstone against a Fever backcourt now featuring the Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston tandem....

DHJ Quick Take: The State of the Roster The Full Core Debut: For the first time in camp, Jose Fernandez saw his projected "identity" on the floor with Awak Kuier and Arike Ogunbowale fully participating. The Injury Cloud: The primary concern is now Aziaha James, who went down during Tuesday's...

DHJ Quick Take: Dallas Wings Are Finally Whole The Full Roster Logic: Today was the first time Jose Fernandez had his "projected core" for 5-on-5 work amid Arike Ogunbowale and Awak Kuier joining the team. The Recruitment Trail: Ogunbowale’s insight into her role recruiting Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard highlights...

DHJ Quick Take: The Roster Architecture Frontcourt Shift: Dallas waived Rayah Marshall after her preseason debut and less than a month after acquiring her in the Diamond Miller trade. This leaves the frontcourt depth chart to Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, Awak Kuier, and Li Yueru. Backcourt Trim: The team moved...

DHJ Quick Take: Alanna Smith Injury in Austin The Injury Variable: Alanna Smith was the most efficient player on the floor (12 points, 7 rebounds in 12 minutes) before an inadvertent elbow from A'ja Wilson forced her exit. While labeled a precaution, her health is the "mechanical necessity" for a...

DHJ Quick Take: Dallas Wings Put on a Show in Austin Market Validation: A capacity crowd of 10,179 at the Moody Center provided a deafening backdrop for the first WNBA game in Austin history. The atmosphere served as powerful proof of concept for Central Texas as a premier basketball market...