Dallas Wings roster: Meet 2023 WNBA Draft class

DALLAS — Shooters shoot! That mentality was once transparent for the Dallas Wings the night time of the 2023 WNBA Draft when the group decided on one of the most absolute best offensive gamers in faculty basketball, together with 4 within the first around.  

Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb made a remark previous that the staff was once in search of shooters they usually were given their want, particularly after they received the highest-scoring participant within the NCAA this season – Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist. 

Bibb defined the Wings group sought after to construct a roster round 4 parts: capturing, good-sizing, versatility and nice other people.

And all through a press convention to introduce the brand new draft class on Monday, April 17, it highlighted that the Wings group hit all of the ones marks. 

The six new Wings gamers upload to particularly one of the vital numerous squads within the WNBA — which now represents no less than 8 nations and 9 languages, consistent with Bibb. 

So, let’s meet the brand new gamers who plan on making a favorable have an effect on off and on the courtroom in DFW. 

With the quantity 3 pick out within the draft, the Wings secured none instead of arguably the most efficient shooter within the NCAA this 12 months — Maddy Siegrist. 

Siegrist led the country in scoring with 29.2 facets in line with sport. 

She become simply the 5th participant in Division I ladies’s basketball historical past to attain 1,000 facets in one season, and become the primary DI participant, male or feminine, to report 37 consecutive 20-points video games this previous season. 

During her introductory press convention, Bibb spoke to Siegrist’s ability, announcing there are a number of portions to her sport that he admired earlier than going into draft night time. 

“Not only does she finish at the rim, but she finishes the game,” Bibb mentioned of her mentality. 

Since being drafted, Siegrist mentioned it is been a whirlwind however she’s extraordinarily excited to play for the Dallas Wings. 

Her time table: to be an excellent teammate and are compatible in the place she’s wanted. 

“I just want to be a sponge and learn as much as I can… And whatever my team needs me to do, I’ll do,” mentioned Siegrist. 

“I’ve only asked for her autograph twice,” Dallas Wings Head Coach Latricia Trammell laughed earlier than answering what Siegrist will carry to the desk. 

Trammell echoed Bibb in announcing Siegrist is a flexible participant who can ranking from more than one spots at the hardwood. “We’ll definitely put her in the right position to propel her to be the best teammate.” 

Siegrist mentioned she’s taking a look ahead to studying from the veterans at the staff, like Arike Ogunbowale and Diamond DeShields, but additionally selecting guard Veronica Burton‘s mind about her breakout season as a rookie ultimate 12 months. 

Her training team of workers has when put next her sport to the good Elena Delle Donne, who these days performs for the Washington Mystics and has led her staff to a WNBA championship on a couple of instance. 

“I think this is going to be fun for all involved,” Trammell mentioned about running with Siegrist and observing her are compatible into the Wings’ philosophy this season. 

Siegrist mentioned she has won a “first class experience” on being welcomed to the City of Dallas. She mentioned she’s simply an previous soul, whose religion and supporters imply the arena to her. She hopes all of her Villanova lovers will change into Wings lovers this upcoming WNBA season. 

She when put next the start of her professional adventure to being like a freshman once more, and is all in favour of rising her sport, particularly defensively. 

But most significantly, her finish sport, she mentioned, is bringing a championship to Dallas. 

The Wings decided on UConn guard Lou Lopez Senechal with the quantity 5 pick out within the first around, wherein she made historical past as the primary Mexican-born participant to be drafted within the WNBA.  

“It’s a good feeling to be the first and I hope I’m not the last one,” Senechal mentioned. “I hope I serve as an example and keep inspiring others.” 

Senechal grew up in Grenoble, France and mentioned it manner so much to constitute and shine a mild on either one of her nations (Mexico and France) and 3 languages (Spanish, French and English). 

During her introductory press convention, she expressed how excited she was once about connecting with the Mexican group in DFW and provoking those that would not usually come to a WNBA sport to wait this upcoming season. 

Her determination to her tradition, her circle of relatives, her preparation and her regimen to change into one of the most absolute best basketball gamers in NCAA this 12 months, is what drew the Wings to select her on draft night time.

Bibb mentioned now not best is she one of the most absolute best shooters within the nation, however she’s an excellent individual and “plays the game in a beautiful way.” 

Before moving to UConn to play her senior 12 months, Senechal had a outstanding profession at Fairfield within the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She led them in scoring over 4 years and averaged 19.5 facets. 

“This is a young lady who sent out 280 emails just to play college basketball,” Coach Trammell mentioned. “She loves the game.” 

Senechal mentioned her time at UConn challenged her, however she knew it was once where she would change into a greater participant and transition into a certified profession. She mentioned her time at UConn gave her the chance to realize numerous self belief. 

Despite best being there 365 days, she embraced her function. She was once a beast in the back of the arc, the place she totaled a 3rd of her baskets – capturing 44%. Senechal was once a strolling double double, averaging just about 16 facets in line with sport. 

Senechal is a author off the jump and excels in transition too, so be expecting to peer her within the two spot this season, Trammell mentioned. 

Trammell mentioned her aggressive spirit and can to win is one thing she admires in Senechal. 

Senechal mentioned she is worked up to be part of the Wings now, and her purpose is to construct, to be a greater defender, and to be informed each off and on the courtroom.  

But you might have to attend a couple of further months earlier than seeing Senechal take the ground. She is these days improving after struggling a knee harm earlier than the top of her UConn season.  

In one of the most greatest surprises of draft night time, the Washington Mystics traded their fourth pick out, Iowa State’s Stephanie Soares, to Dallas mins after making their variety. Washington were given again a primary around pick out in 2025 and second-round pick out in 2024. 

Soares mentioned she was once subsequent to her brothers when she heard she was once traded and was once met with excessive fives. She mentioned the heat she felt from the Wings group was once rapid and she or he simply felt “pure excitement” to be drafted. 

Before she tore her ACL in January 2023, Soares was once a drive within the paint – turning into the 6th participant in Iowa State historical past to report a 20-rebound sport. She additionally represented Brazil on the 2022 FIBA South American Women’s Championship and helped cause them to the Gold Medal. 

The Sao Paulo local hopes when she has the danger, she’ll encourage others in her nation like fellow Brazilian who performed within the WNBA. 

She’s 6’6″ and performs like a guard — her versality and the strikes she makes to make space and get to the basket will make her one to observe when she’s wholesome and in a position to start out coaching once more.

Soares is these days 15 weeks post-op and can pass over the 2023 WNBA season, however the Wings mentioned they have been assured in her possible and the long run have an effect on she’s going to make at the courtroom subsequent season. In truth, her poise at the bench following her harm let Coach Trammell know she was once going to be an excellent are compatible too. 

“She was a peer coach,” Trammell mentioned. “She was engaged with her teammates in what they wanted to accomplish on the court.” 

Soares is worked up to be part of the Wings group and much more thrilling, she will get to do it with an Iowa State teammate, Ashley Joens who was once drafted by way of the Wings in the second one around.  

“It’s awesome to be able to go through this process with her,” mentioned Soares. 

But for now, Soares might not be making the transfer to Dallas. She’ll stay at Iowa State proceeding her hospital treatment. 

The Wings with the quantity eleventh pick out within the first around decided on Maryland guard Abby Meyers. 

She averaged 14.3 facets, 5.1 rebounds and a couple of.3 assists for the Terrapins. And earlier than taking over her pivotal function as co-captain there, she was once named the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year. She was once additionally named a 2022 All-American Honorable Mention and was once maximum lately identify to the 2023 All-Big Ten Second Team.

During her introductory press convention, Meyers mentioned she’s had a whirlwind of per week and is receiving a ton of strengthen after being drafted — together with shout-outs and invitations from her fellow Jewish group, which holds numerous significance to her. 

“It’s great to be recognized for that,” mentioned Meyers. 

She joked being drafted into the WNBA would possibly not hit her till she retires, however she’s extraordinarily thankful for the Wings and the chance. 

“It’s going to be a cool story to tell when I’m older,” mentioned Meyers. 

Meyers had prior to now been following Dallas after her former teammate Bella Alarie was once decided on by way of the Wings in 2020. 

“I swear I’m not following her,” Meyers joked. 

Meyers mentioned Alarie has been a great mentor alongside her adventure or even gave her a crew-neck blouse after studying she was once selected by way of the Wings. 

Both got here from the Ivy-League and Meyers mentioned she hopes to be an inspiration for the more youthful technology, particularly if they arrive from a mid-major convention. 

Meyers mentioned the affection for the sport of basketball comes naturally to her and encourages those that have a dream to proceed to paintings towards it. 

Meyers mentioned she’s only a small individual from a small the city who mentioned she’s all the time had self belief in her sport. She hopes to have a laugh within the league and is able to get to paintings. 

But first, she has to complete faculty. Meyers remains to be completing up her program at Maryland and can make her strategy to Dallas within the coming weeks. 

The Wings decided on Ashley Joens with the quantity 19 pick out. The 6’1″ ahead is flexible on offense and completed her profession at Iowa State with 21.6 facets in line with sport, 9.7 rebounds and a couple of.0 assists. 

Joens concluded her five-year profession at Iowa State ranked 9th all-time NCAA Division I ladies’s basketball with 3,060 profession facets. She was once additionally named the Cheryl Miller Award winner for the 3rd immediately season following her 3rd season with greater than 600 facets. 

During her introductory press convention, she was once requested about opting for to make use of her further 12 months of play to stick at Iowa State earlier than leaving for the draft. 

“I was able to grow my game on scoring in all three levels,” mentioned Joens. 

She mentioned she additionally realized find out how to maintain to ball higher. 

Joens is among the country’s most sensible small ahead gamers. She’s excited to start out her professional adventure with the Wings — along side every other Iowa State teammate Stephanie Soares. 

“We know each other’s game,” Joens mentioned. “To continue to grow and learn will be special.” 

Joens is these days completing up at Iowa State and can make her strategy to Dallas quickly. 

The Wings rounded out the 2023 Draft with Paige Robinson because the thirty first pick out. Robison, a 5’10” guard from Illinois State, averaged 18.3 facets, 4.8 rebounds and three.0 assists. 

Robinson had a standout season-high efficiency towards Wisconsin the place she scored 37 facets (14-19 from the sphere). In her ultimate season with Illinois, she was once a First-Team All-Mid West Region and First Team All-Great Lakes Valley honoree. 

What drew the Wings to Robinson? 

Coach Trammell mentioned it was once her humbleness and her grind. 

“I think a lot of her, and looking forward to spending time with her,” mentioned Trammell. 

And it is helping that she’s too an excessively outstanding shooter. 

“She can knock down a shot pretty consistently,” Trammell mentioned. “… impressed with her ability to score the basketball.” 

Robinson, who’s completing grad faculty at Illinois State, mentioned she’s excited to get all the way down to Dallas. 

“I’m going to go in with all the confidence in the world and continue to grow,” she mentioned. 

And like Meyers, coming from a mid-major convention, she’s taking a look ahead to proving what she will do at the courtroom for the Wings. 

Coach Trammell credit Bibb and all the Wings group for scouting and placing effort into getting it proper for this upcoming WNBA season. 

Training camp is predicted to start out quickly, and Trammell mentioned she’s taking a look ahead to the competitiveness and skill that may take the ground. 

“We got the best shooters in the draft in my opinion,” Trammell mentioned. “They are going to create a lot of havoc for other teams.” 

Trammell notes that she’s new, her team of workers is new and everybody has taken a unique trail to get right here and she or he desires to have fun that as a result of on the finish of the day, it is larger than basketball. This task is ready developing lasting bonds and giving her gamers the most efficient revel in they are able to have with the Wings group. 

Bibb mentioned in case you glance around the draft class, now not best is the staff lucky to have one of the most absolute best gamers within the NCAA, “They’re all in reality nice teammates and in reality nice other people.”

A large number of staff bonding actions are deliberate, and Trammel mentioned she cannot wait to play a sport of H.O.R.S.E. together with her new squad! 

Don’t pass over the Wings’ house opener at College Park Center in Arlington on Saturday, May 20. Tipoff is scheduled at midday, and you’ll watch on WFAA Channel 8. 

Here’s a have a look at this 12 months’s sport time table and how you’ll acquire tickets this season.