Team Wings to be without Arike Ogunbowale and Li Yueru for extended periods of time
The Dallas Wings, currently in their seventh season with Arike Ogunbowale, are facing a tough stretch as their star player and Chinese-born center, Li Yueru, are both sidelined due to injuries.
Forward Arike Ogunbowale, 28, has been a consistent force for the Wings since her arrival in 2019. She has been invited to four All-Star Games as a Wing and has even won the exhibition's MVP award twice. However, this season has been a struggle for Ogunbowale, who is averaging a career-low 15.5 points per game.
Ogunbowale has missed the last three Wings games due to tendinitis in her right knee, and her return remains uncertain as she is expected to be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. This setback comes after an earlier absence due to a thumb issue.
Li Yueru, 26, joined the Wings in June after being traded from the Seattle Storm. She averaged 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in her time with the team, both career-highs for the Chinese-born draft pick. Unfortunately, Yueru will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL sprain in her left knee.
The injuries to Ogunbowale and Yueru are the latest setbacks in a challenging season for the Wings, who are currently on the cusp of mathematical elimination with a record of 9-26.
Despite these challenges, the Wings are not giving up. They are focusing on developing their young breakout talents such as Paige Bueckers, Maddy Siegrist, and Haley Jones. The team will face the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night in SoCal.
Meanwhile, the Wings' season has been tough for Ogunbowale, who finished second in the WNBA scoring race last year. Postseason success has eluded her since her arrival in 2019.
In a twist of unfortunate events, the Indiana Fever have also lost Sophie Cunningham for the rest of the season. This means the Wings will be without two fan favorites due to injuries.
As the Wings navigate these challenges, they remain hopeful for a strong finish to the season. Their resilience and determination will undoubtedly be tested, but their spirit remains undeterred.
