Wings set to take on former star Satou Sabally, Mercury

Hindustan Times

a day ago

The Dallas Wings will see Satou Sabally in a new light when they visit the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday.
As that of an opponent.
The Mercury acquired Sabally as part of a four-team trade in an offseason remake that also included the addition of Alyssa Thomas and Kalani Brown. The three veteran newcomers have had a lot to do with their 6-4 start as Phoenix welcomes the 1-9 Wings.
"Obviously, we have selected personalities that really mesh well together," Sabally said. "We're so competitive. We do the right things, and we really execute. It's just so exciting already to feel that trust in each other and to also know we're also creating a new culture."
Sabally is averaging a career-high 20.5 points after spending her first five years in Dallas, a run that featured a breakout 2023 season in which she was named first-team All-WNBA and was voted the Most Improved Player while averaging 18.6 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Her old team, meanwhile, has dropped five in a row with three losses coming against the undefeated Minnesota Lynx. While Dallas has not replaced Sabally in kind, the Wings have four players averaging double figures.
Veteran Arike Ogunbowale is the leading scorer at 16.3 points per game with rookie Paige Bueckers and newcomer DiJonai Carrington next. Carrington was acquired from Connecticut in that four-team trade that also sent Thomas to the Mercury.
Bueckers, the first pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, has missed the last four games, but the Wings are optimistic she will return on Wednesday. She missed three games while in the league's concession protocol and an 81-65 loss to Minnesota on Sunday because of illness. She is averaging 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
Thomas, a two-time All-WNBA forward, has missed the last five games with a left calf injury after averaging 15.2 points, 8.0 assists and 7.6 rebounds in the first five. She is considered probable.
The Mercury are 2-3 without Thomas, with two losses coming against Minnesota and another in an 89-77 home loss to Seattle on Saturday when Sabally had her sixth 20-point game. They also have played without projected starters Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack all season.
"Adding all-WNBA players is always a good thing," Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said.
Wings guard Tyasha Harris, acquired from Connecticut, has missed the last five games with a knee injury.
The Wings trimmed a 17-point deficit to one entering the fourth quarter against Minnesota on Sunday, but could not sustain the momentum. Ogunbawale had 26 points, but the Wings shot a season-low 29.2 percent from the field.
"We get the ball to the paint," said first-year Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes. "Now our growth area is, are we taking the right shots in the paint? And then are we seeing the kicks when we get there?
"It hurts when you don't have a Paige and a Harris, who are people who really bring organization on the offensive end."
Field Level Media