DHJ Quick Take: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever
- The No. 1 Narrative: This game isn’t just a season opener; it’s a living history of the WNBA’s recent lottery luck. Having Boston, Clark, Bueckers, and Fudd—the last four No. 1 picks—on the court simultaneously is a marketing dream that anchors the league’s 30th season in youth and star power.
- The Fernandez Era Begins: After 25 years at USF, Jose Fernandez makes his WNBA regular-season debut with a roster built for his “transition and space” philosophy. Among his toughest tasks today? Managing the rotation of a “very, very deep” bench that includes a scoring spark like Aziaha James.
- Health and Availability: With Alanna Smith and Aziaha James listed as probable, the Wings should have their primary “frontcourt anchor” and “bench spark” ready to go. Against an Indiana team that returns Aliyah Boston (who missed the preseason matchup), Smith’s defensive versatility will be tested early.
- Measuring Sticks: Paige Bueckers’ comments about competing with Clark as a “respectful measuring stick” set the tone for a rivalry that has already delivered monster viewership (2.1 million peak last year). Expect another high-ratings window as the two stars meet again on ABC.
- Preseason Carryover: Dallas led the league in preseason statistical categories, including scoring (98 PPG) and field goal percentage (50.4%). If that efficiency translates to a raucous Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Wings’ rebuilt backcourt might be too fast for the Fever to contain in transition.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Dallas Wings open the 2026 regular season Saturday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, taking on the Indiana Fever in a marquee matchup that pairs the last four No. 1 overall picks on the same floor as the WNBA tips off its 30th season.
Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. CT on ABC, with Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe on the call. The game streams on the ESPN app and broadcasts locally in Indianapolis on 93.1 WIBC.
Saturday marks the official start of the Jose Fernandez era in Dallas. The first-year head coach takes a WNBA sideline for the first time after spending 25 years at the University of South Florida, where he won nearly 500 games and led the Bulls to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. He inherits a roster headlined by 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, franchise all-time leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale, and No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd.
How to Watch
- Tip-off: Saturday, May 9, 12:00 p.m. CT (1:00 p.m. ET)
- Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- TV: ABC
- Broadcast crew: Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline)
- Streaming: ESPN app
- Radio: 93.1 WIBC, John Nolan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)
- Live stats: stats.wnba.com
Probable Starters
Dallas Wings (0-0): Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, Azzi Fudd, Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard
Indiana Fever (0-0): Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Monique Billings, Aliyah Boston
Game Status Report
Dallas Wings: Guard Aziaha James is listed as probable with a left ankle sprain. Forward Alanna Smith is listed as probable with a facial injury. Both players missed Wednesday’s practice in Arlington but are expected to be available Saturday.
Indiana Fever: Forward Monique Billings is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. Guard Justine Pissott is out (coach’s decision). Billings is in the Fever’s projected starting lineup, leaving Indiana’s frontcourt rotation in question pending pregame status.
Last Four No. 1 Picks Share the Floor
The matchup features Aliyah Boston (2023), Caitlin Clark (2024), Bueckers (2025), and Fudd (2026), the last four No. 1 overall picks in the WNBA Draft, on the floor at the same time. Boston, Clark, and Bueckers are also the last three Rookie of the Year winners. The game also pairs two of the league’s top scoring guards in Kelsey Mitchell, an MVP finalist last season, and Ogunbowale, a four-time All-Star who re-signed with Dallas last month for her eighth season with the franchise.
Bueckers and Clark have shared the floor through college, with USA Basketball, and again in preseason play, when Dallas beat Indiana 95-80 at Gainbridge on April 30. Bueckers led all scorers at halftime of that game with 20 points, and the Wings outscored Indiana 36-17 in the second quarter to seize control. Clark finished with a game-high 21 points but exited late in the third quarter after landing on Smith’s foot on a stepback 3-point attempt.
Bueckers said Wednesday she views every matchup with Clark as a competitive measuring stick.
“Me and Caitlin have been competing against each other for a long time. I think the greatest way to show respect is to compete and really bring the best out of each other, and I feel like we do that when we’re competing against each other, and then we’ve also enjoyed playing together with USA Basketball,” Bueckers said. “I have great respect for her and what she’s done for the game of basketball and women’s sports in general. She’s a generational player. Every time we take the floor and get to compete against each other, it’s always a great time.”
Fudd, who will play her first official WNBA game Saturday, said the preseason scrimmage between the two teams gave both sides a useful preview.
“I’m excited. Looking forward to that game, first official game, and we got to scrimmage them, so we both have a sense of what each team does, what we do,” Fudd said.
Fernandez framed the opener as a benefit to the broader league.
“It’s great for our game, so all eyes will be on the Wings and the Fever this weekend,” Fernandez said. “It’s an exciting time for the league. It’s an exciting time to kick off the WNBA season.”
Dallas Wings Enter on the Heels of a 2-0 Preseason
Dallas wrapped a 2-0 preseason with the 95-80 win over Indiana on April 30 and a 101-84 victory over the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces on May 3 at Moody Center. Across the two preseason contests, the Wings led the WNBA in scoring at 98.0 points per game (tied with Indiana), shot a league-best 50.4% from the field, and led the league in assists at 24.5 per game. Dallas finished third in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.5% and fourth at the free-throw line at 80.4%.
James posted a hot start to preseason action, averaging 17.5 points per game off the bench, fourth-best in the league. She had 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a team-high four steals against Indiana on April 30, finishing a team-best plus-19 in 31 minutes. She added 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in 16 minutes against Las Vegas on May 3.
Maddy Siegrist posted a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Indiana. Fernandez highlighted her impact this week.
“Maddy had two really, really good preseason games,” Fernandez said. “My toughest job is making sure we’ve got the right five on the floor at times. We’re very, very deep, everybody being a star in their role and making sure we just take efficient, great shots and we share it.”
Bueckers, named the player most WNBA general managers would build a franchise around in this week’s annual GM survey, scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting against Indiana and added 11 points and a team-high nine assists in the preseason finale against Las Vegas.
Indiana Fever Return Healthy and Reloaded
The Fever enter the opener 2-1 in preseason play under fourth-year head coach Stephanie White, who holds a 61-51 all-time regular-season record across stops with Indiana in 2015-16 and 2025. Indiana returns its core from a team that reached Game 5 of the WNBA Semifinals last season despite injuries that ended Clark’s 2025 season after just 13 games.
Clark landed on her left kneecap during the April 30 preseason game in Indianapolis. She wore a leg sleeve at practice this week but downplayed the issue.
“Just a little compression on the leg, I don’t know,” Clark said.
Boston, Mitchell, and guard Sophie Cunningham headline the returning core. The Fever added forwards Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen in free agency, along with guards Tyasha Harris and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, and drafted Raven Johnson with the 10th overall pick out of South Carolina. Johnson tallied 14 assists and seven steals across three preseason games.
Boston previewed Saturday’s matchup at Indiana’s media availability earlier this week.
“I think Dallas did a great job surrounding Paige with more shooters on the floor and I think even down to the post you have Alanna Smith that just stretches the floor completely,” Boston said. “I think for us it’s just making sure we keep our energy high, we know it’s going to be a game of runs, we know they want to put a lot of points up, but making sure we play both ends of the floor.”
Series History and Milestones
Indiana leads the all-time regular-season series 41-36, but Dallas has held a 7-6 edge dating back to the 2022 season. The Wings are 5-2 on the road against the Fever in regular-season play since 2021, including an 81-80 win at Gainbridge on Aug. 12, 2025, when Bueckers, Siegrist, and Li Yueru combined for 58 of the team’s 81 points.
The two teams will meet three more times during the regular season after Saturday. Dallas visits Indiana again on Aug. 14 and hosts the Fever at American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas on Aug. 20, where the rivalry drew a franchise-record crowd of 20,409 last June.
Several Wings enter Saturday on the verge of milestones. Bueckers is eight points shy of 700 for her career and six assists shy of 200. Siegrist needs five made field goals to reach 300, and James is 15 points away from 300 career points.
Up Next
The Wings’ home opener is set for Tuesday, May 12, at College Park Center in Arlington against the Atlanta Dream. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CT.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Wings List Alanna Smith, Aziaha James Probable For Season Opener vs. Indiana Fever
- WNBA GM Survey Votes Paige Bueckers Top Player To Build Around Over Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson
- ‘The Sky’s The Limit’: Arike Ogunbowale Details Re-Signing With Dallas Wings, Eyes Championship
- Stephanie White: Dallas Wings Have ‘A Lot to Be Excited About’ After Pairing Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers
- ‘Let’s See Who Gets That Ring for Dallas First’: Paige Bueckers’ Message To Cooper Flagg After Rookie Of The Year Award
- Paige Bueckers Embraces Defensive ‘Standard’ For Dallas Wings After Unrivaled Carryover
- 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
