# 2021 Dallas Wings season

The 2021 Dallas Wings season was the franchise's 24th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the 6th season for the franchise in Dallas. This was the first season under new head coach Vickie Johnson, after she was hired on December 9, 2020.
The Wings had the #1 and #2 picks in the 2021 WNBA draft. They selected Charli Collier and Awak Kuier, while also adding top talents in Chelsea Dungee and Dana Evans.
The Wings won their first game of the season, but couldn't keep the momentum going as they lost their next four games in a row, to finish May with a 1–4 record. The team improved during the month of June, posting a 7–5 overall record including wins at Seattle and a two-game sweep of Phoenix. The team faltered in July going 1–3 including three straight losses heading into the Olympic break. At the Olympic break their record was 9–12. After the break, they alternated loss and wins to post a 2–3 record in August. They finished out the regular season 3–3 in September, and secured a playoff berth after a win on September 11 vs. the New York Liberty. Their overall record of 14–18 earned the seventh seed in the 2021 WNBA Playoffs.
In the first round of the playoffs, they faced off against the Chicago Sky. The Sky dominated the game from the outset and the Wings outscored the Sky in only one quarter of the game. The Wings lost 64–81 to end their season.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | School/Team/Country | Nationality |
| 1 | 1 | Charli Collier | Texas | United States |
| 1 | 2 | Awak Kuier | Passalacqua Ragusa (Italy) | Finland |
| 1 | 5 | Chelsea Dungee | Arkansas | United States |
| 2 | 13 | Dana Evans | Louisville | United States |

### Trades and Roster changes

| Date | Details |
| November 5, 2020 | Exercised Team Option on G Arike Ogunbowale |
| November 10, 2020 | Exercised Team Options on G Marina Mabrey and F Katie Lou Samuelson |
| February 1, 2021 | Signed G Allisha Gray |
| February 8, 2021 | Signed Kayla Thornton to a Contract Extension |
| February 10, 2021 | Traded Katie Lou Samuelson and a 2nd Round Pick in 2022 to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the 1st Pick in the 2021 WNBA draft |
| February 25, 2021 | Waived F Astou Ndour |
| March 12, 2021 | Signed F Luisa Geiselsoder to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| March 31, 2021 | Full Season Suspended F Luisa Geiselsoder due to Overseas Injury |
| April 14, 2021 | Traded the 7th Pick in the 2021 Draft and a 2nd Round Pick in the 2022 Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks for a 1st Round Pick in the 2022 Draft |
| April 16, 2021 | Signed G Dana Evans and G Chelsea Dungee to Rookie Scale Contracts |
| April 18, 2021 | Signed F Awak Kuier to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| April 18, 2021 | Signed G Dee Givens, G Destinee Walker, and F Tori Jarosz to Training Camp Contracts |
| April 19, 2021 | Signed F Amy Okonkwo to a Training Camp Contract |
| April 30, 2021 | Waived F Amy Okonkwo and F Tori Jarosz |
| May 9, 2021 | Waived G Dee Givens |
| May 10, 2021 | Waived G Destinee Walker |
| May 10, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend F Satou Sabally due to Overseas Commitments |
| May 12, 2021 | Waived F Megan Gustafson |
| May 14, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend F Awak Kuier due to Overseas Commitments |
| May 15, 2021 | Signed F Kristine Anigwe off of Waivers |
| May 18, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend G Allisha Gray due to Overseas Commitments |
| May 27, 2021 | Activated F Awak Kuier from the Temporary Suspension List |
| June 2, 2021 | Traded G Dana Evans to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's own 2022 3rd Round Draft pick, the right to swap 2022 1st Round draft picks, and G Shyla Heal. |
| June 2, 2021 | Waived G Shyla Heal |
| June 2, 2021 | Activated G Allisha Gray and F Satou Sabally from the Temporary Suspension List |
| June 2, 2021 | Waived F Kristine Anigwe |

## Game Log
### Preseason

2021 pre-season game log :
May: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 8
Connecticut
L 76–89
Allisha Gray (19)
Charli Collier (10)
Moriah Jefferson (4)
College Park Center
0–1
2
May 11
@ New York
Scrimmage
Barclays Center
0–0 :
2021 pre-season schedule :

### Regular season

2021 game log Total: 14–18 (Home: 7–9; Road: 7–9) :
May: 1–4 (Home: 0–2; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 14
@ Los Angeles
W 94–71
Allisha Gray (23)
Kayla Thornton (11)
Tyasha Harris (7)
Los Angeles Convention Center No Fans
1–0
2
May 22
Seattle
97–100 (OT)
Arike Ogunbowale (28)
Kayla Thornton (12)
Arike Ogunbowale (6)
College Park Center 1,491
1–1
3
May 24
@ New York
L 81–88
Arike Ogunbowale (24)
Kayla Thornton (11)
Tyasha Harris (7)
Barclays Center 894
1–2
4
May 27
@ Atlanta
L 95–101
Mabrey Ogunbowale (24)
Isabelle Harrison (9)
Moriah Jefferson (4)
Gateway Center Arena 711
1–3
5
May 29
Phoenix
L 85–89
Mabrey Ogunbowale (24)
Marina Mabrey (8)
Isabelle Harrison (3)
College Park Center 1,717
1–4 :
June
: 7–5 (Home: 3–2; Road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
6
June 1
Los Angeles
W 69–79
Tyasha Harris (18)
Collier Mabrey Thornton (7)
Jefferson Mabrey (6)
College Park Center 1,372
2–4
7
June 4
@ Seattle
L 102–105 (OT)
Marina Mabrey (24)
Satou Sabally (9)
Arike Ogunbowale (8)
Angel of the Winds Arena 1,467
2–5
8
June 6
@ Seattle
W 68–67
Arike Ogunbowale (24)
Isabelle Harrison (8)
Arike Ogunbowale (3)
Angel of the Winds Arena 1,930
3–5
9
June 9
@ Phoenix
W 85–81
Arike Ogunbowale (22)
Isabelle Harrison (9)
Tyasha Harris (7)
Phoenix Suns Arena 3,618
4–5
10
June 11
@ Phoenix
W 77–59
Arike Ogunbowale (20)
Bella Alarie (9)
Harris Sabally (4)
Phoenix Suns Arena 4,261
5–5
11
June 13
@ Las Vegas
L 78–85
Satou Sabally (24)
Isabelle Harrison (9)
Arike Ogunbowale (8)
Michelob Ultra Arena No Fans
5–6
12
June 17
Minnesota
L 73–85
Arike Ogunbowale (20)
Bella Alarie (6)
Moriah Jefferson (4)
College Park Center 1,519
5–7
13
June 19
Minnesota
W 95–77
Marina Mabrey (28)
Bella Alarie (8)
Arike Ogunbowale (6)
College Park Center 1,751
6–7
14
June 22
@ Connecticut
L 70–80
Arike Ogunbowale (18)
Marina Mabrey (5)
Arike Ogunbowale (5)
Mohegan Sun Arena 2,076
6–8
15
June 24
@ Indiana
W 89–64
Satou Sabally (15)
Satou Sabally (9)
Arike Ogunbowale (5)
Indiana Farmers Coliseum No Fans
7–8
16
June 26
Washington
W 85–74
Arike Ogunbowale (30)
Sabally Thornton (8)
Satou Sabally (5)
College Park Center 2,055
8–8
17
June 30
Chicago
L 81–91
Isabelle Harrison (23)
Isabelle Harrison (8)
Mabrey Ogunbowale (4)
College Park Center 1,778
8–9 :
July
: 1–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
18
July 2
Chicago
W 100–91
Marina Mabrey (28)
Satou Sabally (9)
Satou Sabally (6)
College Park Center 2,187
9–9
19
July 5
@ New York
L 96–99
Isabelle Harrison (23)
Harrison Mabrey Sabally (7)
Moriah Jefferson (6)
Barclays Center 1,677
9–10
20
July 7
@ Minnesota
L 79–85
Allisha Gray (13)
Satou Sabally (6)
Satou Sabally (7)
Target Center 2,321
9–11
21
July 11
Las Vegas
L 79–95
Gray Jefferson (14)
Satou Sabally (9)
Harris Harrison Ogunbowale Sabally (3)
College Park Center 2,533
9–12 :
August
: 2–3 (Home: 0–2; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
22
August 15
Connecticut
L 59–80
Arike Ogunbowale (20)
Isabelle Harrison (5)
Arike Ogunbowale (5)
College Park Center 2,399
9–13
23
August 17
@ Chicago
W 80–76
Allisha Gray (20)
Kayla Thornton (10)
Moriah Jefferson (8)
Wintrust Arena 3,902
10–13
24
August 20
Indiana
L 81–83
Isabelle Harrison (22)
Isabelle Harrison (7)
Arike Ogunbowale (6)
College Park Center 2,017
10–14
25
August 26
@ Washington
W 82–77
Arike Ogunbowale (26)
Isabelle Harrison (10)
Arike Ogunbowale (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,465
11–14
26
August 28
@ Washington Mystics
L 75–76
Arike Ogunbowale (25)
Isabelle Harrison (9)
Marina Mabrey (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,410
11–15 :
September
: 3–3 (Home: 3–2; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
27
September 2
Atlanta
W 72–68
Allisha Gray (19)
Gray Harrison (10)
Moriah Jefferson (6)
College Park Center 1,975
12–15
28
September 5
Atlanta
L 64–69
Arike Ogunbowale (21)
Allisha Gray (14)
Tyasha Harris (6)
College Park Center 2,386
12–16
29
September 7
Connecticut
L 56–83
Marina Mabrey (16)
Awak Kuier (8)
Alarie Harris Kuier Ogunbowale (2)
College Park Center 1,945
12–17
30
September 11
New York
W 77–76
Marina Mabrey (21)
Allisha Gray (11)
Marina Mabrey (6)
College Park Center 2,888
13–17
31
September 13
@ Las Vegas
L 75–85
Arike Ogunbowale (23)
Collier Ogunbowale (8)
Marina Mabrey (7)
Michelob Ultra Arena N/A
13–18
32
September 19
Los Angeles
W 87–84
Arike Ogunbowale (20)
Allisha Gray (7)
Marina Mabrey (5)
College Park Center 3,604
14–18 :
2021 season schedule :

### Playoffs

2021 playoff game log Total: 0–1 :
First round
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
September 23
@ Chicago
64–81
Arike Ogunbowale (22)
Isabelle Harrison (10)
Moriah Jefferson (4)
Wintrust Arena 4,672
0–1 :
2021 playoff schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Connecticut Sun | 26 | 6 | .813 | – | 12–3 | 15–1 | 11–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 24 | 8 | .750 | 2 | 11–4 | 13–3 | 11–5 | 6–4 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 22 | 10 | .688 | 4 | 10–5 | 13–3 | 9–7 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Seattle Storm | 21 | 11 | .656 | 5 | 9–6 | 11–5 | 10–6 | 8–2 |
| 5 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 13 | .594 | 7 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 12–4 | 5–5 |
| 6 | x – Chicago Sky | 16 | 16 | .500 | 10 | 10–5 | 6–10 | 10–6 | 6–4 |
| 7 | x – Dallas Wings | 14 | 18 | .438 | 12 | 7–8 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 3–7 |
| 8 | x – New York Liberty | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 5–11 | 5–5 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 7–8 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 10 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 2–13 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 1–9 |
| 11 | e – Atlanta Dream | 8 | 24 | .250 | 18 | 6–9 | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 26 | .188 | 20 | 4–11 | 4–12 | 2–14 | 2–8 |
* v
* t
* e
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Playoffs

| First round Single elimination Sept. 23 | First round Single elimination Sept. 23 | First round Single elimination Sept. 23 | Second round Single elimination Sept. 26 | Second round Single elimination Sept. 26 | Second round Single elimination Sept. 26 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Semifinals Best-of-five Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 | WNBA Finals Best-of-five Oct. 10 – Oct. 17 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 96 | 91 | 60 | 93 | 84 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Seattle Storm | 80 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 90 | 117 | 87 | 76 | 87 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 83 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 85$^{OT}$ | | | | | | | | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 77 | 91$^{OT}$ | 50 | 74 | – |
| 8 | New York Liberty | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Chicago Sky | 91 | 86 | 86 | 80 | – |
| | | | | | | 1 | Connecticut Sun | 95 | 79 | 83 | 69 | – | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Minnesota Lynx | 76 | 6 | Chicago Sky | 101$^{2OT}$ | 68 | 86 | 79 | – | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Chicago Sky | 81 | 6 | Chicago Sky | 89 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Dallas Wings | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

## Statistics
### Regular Season

Source:
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Arike Ogunbowale | 32 | 32 | 31.3 | 38.3 | 37.6 | 86.4 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 18.7 |
| Marina Mabrey | 32 | 8 | 24.2 | 40.5 | 34.2 | 88.2 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 13.3 |
| Allisha Gray | 25 | 16 | 2.8 | 43.8 | 36.6 | 86.2 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 11.9 |
| Satou Sabally | 17 | 14 | 24.9 | 41.8 | 32.7 | 77.0 | 5.9 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 11.9 |
| Isabelle Harrison | 28 | 5 | 23.8 | 53.8 | 0.0 | 78.3 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 10.9 |
| Kayla Thornton | 31 | 25 | 27.6 | 42.1 | 34.9 | 84.9 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 7.5 |
| Moriah Jefferson | 29 | 28 | 17.2 | 44.9 | 46.0 | 60.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 5.4 |
| Tyasha Harris | 32 | 3 | 16.3 | 33.6 | 33.9 | 83.3 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 4.4 |
| Charli Collier | 28 | 18 | 12.3 | 46.5 | 0.0 | 69.6 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
| Bella Alarie | 31 | 11 | 13.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 85.0 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2.6 |
| Awak Kuier | 16 | 0 | 8.9 | 30.8 | 16.7 | 78.6 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 2.4 |
| Chelsea Dungee | 14 | 0 | 4.6 | 17.6 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 |

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded |
| Arike Ogunbowale | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 |
| Satou Sabally | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 |
| Charli Collier | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 5 |
| Arike Ogunbowale | All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 |