3 highlights from the WNBA this week:
Cameron Brink returns to the court: After missing over 13 months of basketball after tearing her ACL and meniscus last June, Cameron Brink stepped into a WNBA game for the first time since this week. The No. 2 overall draft pick from 2024 has been ramping up to return to play for a while, and she was cleared to play in the Sparks' game against the Las Vegas Aces. Brink entered the game off the bench to a roar of applause from the crowd. She played just under 14 minutes in the game, scoring 5 points, as well as making 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal and 1 assist. While she will likely continue to ramp up before she returns to the starting lineup for the Sparks, it was thrilling to see one of the most beloved young stars in the sport make a comeback. And she could make a big difference for LA in their playoff hunt.
Dallas wins over New York: While the injuries to the Liberty's lineup, including Breanna Stewart's bone bruise, have been hard on the team, it was pretty thrilling to watch the Dallas Wings get a big win. They were able to hand New York their second consecutive loss earlier in the week, on a huge night from the duo of Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. Ogunbowale scored 20 points while making 14 assists, and Bueckers had her own 20 points with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Luisa Geiselsöder has also been huge for this team, and she scored 14 points in the win against New York.
A'ja Wilson scores 34 points: For all the struggle the Las Vegas Aces have endured this season, none of which have affected A'ja Wilson's ability to impact a game. The three-time MVP scored 34 points in the Aces' win over the Los Angeles Sparks, making 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Despite the Aces' 14-13 record and 7th place WNBA standing, Wilson is averaging 22.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and leading the WNBA with 2.4 blocks per game. The Aces' record is just a testament that there is no "i" in team, but Wilson is putting this team on her own back. Las Vegas has now won their last two games, and hopefully that is the beginning of a better stretch for the 2x WNBA championship franchise that still has many of the pieces from those winning squads on the court. They'll be tested this weekend for sure as they face the Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries.
2 games to watch this weekend:
Indiana Fever vs Dallas Wings: Friday, Aug. 1, 7:30 p.m.
While it will not be another round of Caitlin Clark vs Paige Bueckers, this game will still be thrilling. The Dallas Wings were so close to winning against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night, and a last possession shot from Naz Hillmon was the decider. The Fever on the other hand just won a game over the No. 3 Phoenix Mercury 107-101, impressive given Clark is still out of the lineup. The Fever are adapting to the absence of Clark in the lineup, and Aliyah Boston has been huge for them in that sense. On the other team, Bueckers continues to thrive for the Dallas Wings. She has yet to score less than 10 points in any WNBA game she has played this season, leading all rookies league-wide with 18.3 points per game.
Minnesota Lynx vs Las Vegas Aces: Saturday, Aug. 2, 3:00 p.m.
Saturday's sole WNBA game is going to be a good one. The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx may be well ahead of the Las Vegas Aces in the standings, but this game could go either way. The elite match up of Napheesa Collier vs A'ja Wilson is must-see television as well, as both players are leading the WNBA in points per game and play extremely dominant two-way games. In the last game between these two teams, Minnesota blew out the Aces, and hopefully Las Vegas comes into this bout with a little more fire in order to make it a closer contest. Neither team wants to see the other in a playoff series, and it could get interesting.
1 storyline to watch: Maddy Siegrist makes return to Dallas Wings lineup
The Dallas Wings announced on Thursday that after missed 17 games healing from a fracture in her leg, Maddy Siegrist would be making her return to the lineup Friday. The Wings will be playing the Indiana Fever, upgrading to a larger venue to accommodate the interest in seeing these two teams play. Unfortunately, Caitlin Clark is still out with her groin strain, though.
Siegrist is in her third WNBA season, after being drafted No. 3 overall by the Wings in 2023. The Villanova grad injured her leg earlier in the season, being diagnosed with an anterolateral tibial plateau fracture in her right knee. That basically means she had a fracture in the lower bone of her leg, right where it meets her knee.
In 11 games for the Wings this season, Siegrist averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds for Dallas. The team has given no indication of whether she will start the game or come off the bench, or if she will be on a minutes restriction.
The Wings are 8-20 this season, and most recently fell 88-85 in a hard fought game against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night.