April 13, 2023 

How the Dallas Wings transformed the offense in the 2023 draft

By Arie Graham

Maddy Siegrist leads a class of scorers to Dallas

The Dallas Wings have undergone significant changes this offseason. There is a new coaching regime and some mainstays were lost due to free agency or by trade. Now the team officially has a clean slate. There are 18 players on roster that will have to be dwindled down to 12 in less than three weeks.

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The Wings are set up to have one of the most competitive training camps this organization has ever had. When President and CEO Greg Bibb addressed the media during the post-draft press conference, he said the last unchecked box for the team was adding shooting.

“If you look at our draft class this year, it should be pretty evident we prioritize shooting and I feel very good about the talent we added to the roster in advance of training camp in terms of not only shooting the basketball, we’ve added elite shooters, but really good basketball players and even better people,” Bibb said.

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No. 3 forward Maddy Siegrist from Villanova

When a team wants to improve their shooting, a good place to start would be to add the leading scorer in the NCAAW. In her fourth year as a Wildcat, she led the nation in scoring, averaging 29.2 points per game. Siegrist led Villanova to its first Sweet 16 appearance in 20 years.

BIG EAST Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist drives to the basket. (Photo Credit / BIG EAST WBB Twitter)

“I think Maddy [Siegrist] is far more than just an offensive player. I think her defensive ability is underrated. I think she has great size and length. I think she can play a multitude of positions.”

Greg Bibb during post-draft press conference

No. 4 The Washington Mystics traded the rights of Iowa State center Stephanie Soares to Dallas for future draft picks

Dallas gave the Mystics a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 first-round pick. The Wings acquired that 2025 first-rounder from the Atlanta Dream via the Allisha Gray trade. The 6’6 center transferred from Master’s University in the NAIA, where she was a two-time Player of the Year. She averaged just over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game. She was only able to play 13 games with the Cyclones before suffering an ACL injury. The Brazilian native averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.

“Most likely she’s not going to be playing for the team in the 2023 season, but she’ll be very much part of the organization and we’ll work closely with her to get her healthy and ready to go for 2024.”

Greg Bibb during post-draft press conference

No. 5 forward Lou Lopez Sénéchal from UCONN

The transfer portal has been the most active it has ever been. Lopez Sénéchal was able to raise the draft stock by transferring to UConn after four years at mid-major Fairfield University. She led the MAAC conference averaging 19.5 points per game prior to her transfer. One of the main reason the portal is beneficial to the players because it allows them to gain experience in bigger programs while also being able to showcase their skills. Lopez Sénéchal took advantage of the opportunity.

Lopez Sénéchal brings the ball up the court against Maryland on Dec. 11, 2022. Credit: Domenic Allegra

“She is just pure in terms of her ability to shoot the basketball. I love to watch her play. There’s these players you just watch and say wow that is pretty basketball. And when I watched Lou Lopez Sénéchal, that’s what I think, that’s pretty basketball. I think she is wise beyond her years.”

Greg Bibb during post-draft press conference

No. 11 guard Abby Meyers from Maryland

The 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year finished her career at Princeton averaging 17.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. There was not much of a drop off when she returned home to play for Maryland. As a Terrapin, she averaged 14.3 points per game. The guard made a huge impact on each team she played on. Now she has a chance to replicate her success a third time as a Dallas Wing.

Meyers celebrates after Maryland defeated Arizona to move on to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Credit: Domenic Allegra

No. 19 small forward Ashley Joens from Iowa State

Joens was the 2022-2023 Big 12 Player of the Year. She also won the Cheryl Miller Award three years in a row. The Iowa native became the team’s all-time leading scorer in her final season. She averaged 21.6 points per game which was eighth in Division I women’s basketball. Bibb said Joens was someone that they would have considered two years ago if she had come in the first draft she was eligible to participate in.

It’s really exciting getting drafted to the Dallas Wings but to know that Steph [Stephanie Soares] is also going to be there. I got to play with her a little bit this year. So getting the opportunity to play with her again is really exciting because obviously with her injury this year, I didn’t get to play with her the full year, but she has a lot of potential and is a great player, a great person. So I’m excited to get to play with her again.”

Ashley Joens at the WNBA Draft

No. 31 guard Paige Robinson from Illinois State

Robinson was a Division II standout for Illinois State, where she averaged 18.3 points per game. She has made history by becoming the Redbird to be drafted into the WNBA. A third-round pick can never be counted out. Guard Jasmine Dickey was the 30th pick in the draft last season and she secured a spot on the team. Dickey did not see much action on the court and the same may also be true for Robinson if she makes the roster. Either way, she is due to learn a lot during a very competitive training camp.

Do the Wings have what they need to win now?

Bibb said that there are special circumstances with this draft class that may not make it as overcrowded as one would seem at first glance. Soares will not be playing with the team until 2024. Lopez Sénéchal is dealing with a knee issue and the team will have to figure out the timing of when she will be able to get on the court.

Dallas is still a young team that has had to hit the reset button every single season. The Wings made adding shooting a priority in this draft, but the focal point of this team should still be defense. The team has not had problem putting up points, as they were fourth in scoring last season, averaging 82.9 points per game. Bibb said the added size positionally with every pick.

“I’m excited about how we’ve gained size and length in our roster through this draft and I think the willingness of this group to get their nose dirty, get in there and grab some rebounds is going to pay dividends for us going forward,” Bibb said.

Written by Arie Graham

Arie Graham joined The Next in May 2021 as the beat writer for the Dallas Wings.

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