Dallas Wings: Breaking it down with Bibb

Players like Astou Ndour aren’t as familiar with their new teammates, but one new player who is: Marina Mabrey, who showed it on day one.

“Well they fit very well to be honest with you,” Bibb said on the new additions to the roster and how they’ll fit with current roster. “I think Astou is a special talent. There aren’t many players of her size with her skill and ability, and I think she’s going to help us at both ends of the floor. She’s a veteran. She’s an accomplished international player so she brings some leadership elements that may be a little short of otherwise on the team this year. And the term of Marina I’m really excited about her, you know the chemistry with Arike was evident today in a first day where everyone’s trying to figure things out.”

Ndour has played four seasons in the WNBA, posting career averages of 5.4 points and 3.0 rebounds. During her four year career, Ndour has played for the San Antonio Stars and the Chicago Sky each for two seasons.

Ogunbowale and Mabrey played together at Notre Dame, winning the NCAA National Championship as teammates in 2018. Both players were selected in the top 20 of the draft in 2019.

“When they were together on the same side of the ball and drills today you could feel it,” Bibb continued. “You could see that chemistry, and that comfort level with one another. Then when they were opposing each other, Marina probably did the best job of guarding Arike today because she has so much experience doing that from her Notre Dame days together so the chemistry is evident between those two and I’m excited about Marina I think she’s a little bit of an “under the radar” player, you know, she played on a very good team last year in LA so she didn’t get a ton of time, but if you go back and watch closely like we did when she had the opportunity she played well and unfortunately last year one of those opportunities was against us, and that game really stuck in the back of my mind so when the opportunity presented itself for us to acquire her, we did so. She looked really good today in the first day of camp and she’s a versatile player too, she’s a well above average shooter, but she has good size for her position, and she can also handle the basketball and play backup point guard when necessary. So I think she can have a lot of opportunity to show what she’s all about with Dallas Wings this year.”

It has been said time and time again by Bibb that the team needed shooting. Due to the current conditions, one may wonder what would be considered a successful year. But it seems clear from Bibb that he very much expects this team to win more games regardless of a shortened season.

“Well you know if we we’re playing a normal, what, 36 games slate, I would say expectation number one would be that we win more than 10 games,” Bibb said on looking at the roster this year compared to last and what’s fair to expect on the court. “You know now we’re down to twenty-two, I still hope we win more than 10 games because I hope that we’re a .500 or better team this year. We’re more skilled in some ways, along with the versatility perspective.”

This roster is full of young talent, but remains to be seen whether or not this team will be able to get it done on the court. We’ll just have to wait and see on that front.

As the youngest team in the league, it will not be easy.