Paige Bueckers approves fan made moniker for her duo with Arike Ogunbowale on Dallas Wings

The Dallas Wings are ready to usher in a new era under the leadership of 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers. There's certainly much excitement regarding what the UConn product can do individually, the coaches and her fans also anticipate how well she'll gel with her new teammates.

Specifically, fans can't wait to see what she and her new backcourt mate, Arike Ogunbowale, can do. Some fans expecting great things from the duo have already given them a nickname, dubbing them "Parike."

Those who came up with this nickname got to hear what Bueckers thought of the nickname, as she shared them on Sunday during the first day of training camp.

"That's pretty cool," Bueckers said. "Arike has established herself as an amazing player. Just to be on the same team as her... is a great blessing."

Ogunbowale was also asked what she thought of the nickname. According to her, she finds it "cute."

Expand Tweet

Bueckers immediately gets the chance to share the backcourt and learn from one of the WNBA's most prolific scorers, Ogunbowale.

In six seasons in the league with Dallas, Ogunbowale has averaged 20.6 points. So far, her career-high is 22.8 points per game, which she put up in 2020. She followed it up with a slightly lower but still stellar 18.7 ppg in 2021. This is also the lowest she's averaged so far.

Aside from being a certified bucket-getter, Ogunbowale is also a defensive pest. She disrupts enemy offenses regularly with her ability to force turnovers, having averaged 1.5 steals in her career.

Last season, she had a career-high 2.1 spg. She's never dipped below one steal per game in a season, as her lowest is at 1.1, which she did in her rookie and third seasons.

Also read: Luka Doncic snubs Dallas star Paige Bueckers to pick Caitlin Clark as favorite WNBA player

Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale pose double trouble for their opponents this season

The way an athlete performs in college is a firm indication of what to expect when they turn pro. Based on how Paige Bueckers played with the Huskies, she and Arike Ogunbowale could end up being an annoying backcourt to deal with.

Ogunbowale is already an established scorer and ball-hawk. Skillsets that Bueckers also showed throughout her college career. In her four years at UConn, Bueckers averaged 19.8 points and 2.1 steals.

When she and Ogunbowale are on the court together, they should become a threat to score on nearly every trip. Then, on the other end, they're always looking to force a turnover.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

Know More

Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos