Who is Arike Ogunbowale's brother Dare Ogunbowale? Exploring WNBA star's personal life

Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points as the Dallas Wings trounced the Atlanta Dream 101-74 on Tuesday to win their WNBA first-round opening series, the franchise’s first playoff series victory since 2009.

Ogunbowale and Dallas will now face their biggest challenge of the season, as they will take on the Las Vegas Aces, the reigning champions who are the favorites to repeat.

But after advancing to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since they moved to Dallas in 2016, the Wings are optimistic they can upset the Aces and continue their playoff journey.

Arike Ogunbowale is the star of this team, but the three-time WNBA All-Star isn’t the only professional athlete in her family. In fact, she’s not even the only one in Texas.

Arike's older brother, Dare Ogunbowale, is a running back for the NFL’s Houston Texans, playing under a two-year, $3.3 million deal.

While Arike was a 2018 national champion as the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, the No. 5 pick in the 2019 WNBA draft and the league’s scoring champ in 2020, Dare has had to scrap to carve out his college and professional career.

Dare came to Wisconsin (2013-16) as a walk-on and initially played defensive back before switching to running back. He joined the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, signing with the Texans in May 2017 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in November 2017.

However, he never made the roster for the Texans or Bucs. He signed with the Washington Redskins in December 2017 and played in two games but recorded no statistics.

Dare Ogunbowale went back to Tampa Bay in 2018. Although only played in two games (seven kickoff returns for 137 yards) in 2018, he had one of the best seasons of his career in 2019. He was named the special teams captain (12 kickoff returns for 223 yards) and had 35 catches for 256 yards and 11 rushes for 17 yards.

He then spent 2020 and 2021 with the Jacksonville Jaguars (44 carries for 127 yards and one touchdown and 23 catches for 168 yards and one touchdown in 31 games) before signing with Houston in March 2022.

Now with the Texans, Dare lives in the same state as his sister, and the two have formed an even closer relationship.

Arike Ogunbowale calls brother Dare her "best friend"

Arike Ogunbowale and her brother, Dare, have always supported each other since their college years.

Arike has been one of the best WNBA players since she joined the league in 2019 and became the scoring champion in 2020. She has her sights set on leading Dallas to the title and always looks up to her brother for advice on how to become better.

Arike Ogunbowale said of her brother, via the Buccaneers' website:

"I go to him with really everything, before a game, after a game. I talk to him every day about everything. He's my best friend. It's definitely good to have him go through everything he goes through and he's super smart. He knows a lot of things outside of sports; life situations, basketball, anything. It's definitely good to have him in my life.

"Our relationship is special, especially with him now being in Houston; he’s come to a lot of my home games. We’re pretty much together all the time whenever we can be. Every year I got older, he just became one of my best friends and I pretty much go to him about everything. He’s a mentor, best friend, big brother, role model."

Living close to each other, in Houston and Dallas, Arike and Dare try to maintain the great relationship they have.