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Through an equivalent number of games, the previous worst was 41% in 2021 — when fans weren't allowed to attend games early on because of the COVID pandemic. Home teams won 43% of their games to start the 2016 season. Both those years the number reached over 50% by the end of the season. There was nearly a 54% home advantage in 2021 and 55% in 2016.

There are a lot of factors that go into the poor start at home so far, including scheduling. The expected top teams Las Vegas and New York have been on the road for most of the start of the season. That said, Chicago, which was near the bottom of the standings last year, went 3-1 on the road to begin this season.

“It’s bizarre and interesting, but I don’t think it signals a trend that will continue,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “We just need to have the better teams to have more home games.”

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase agreed she didn't think the early trend would continue.

“I don't put much stock in it,” said Nakase hours before her team beat New York on Thursday night. “I think it gives players that out to say that we have more advantage at home or we have more advantage away. I just say there’s two hoops, there’s a court, there’s a couple refs, and we got to play. At the end of the day, when you step on the court, you got to be ready to fight.”

Golden State and Los Angeles both won on the road Thursday night to continue the trend while Minnesota was the lone team home team to win.

One thing it’s not caused by is a lack of fans in the buildings. Attendance is up 25% so far this season as compared to this point last year, according to the WNBA.

The second-year Valkyries have established quite a homecourt advantage. They led the league in attendance last year and so far have drawn well in their first two games at home.

“You also don’t want to take it for granted, you know, and take advantage of it,” she said. “But we do have the love of support that is, you know, amazing. But at the same time, you have to be able to handle the noise. So we try to prepare as best as we can.”

COLLEGE PARK, GA ― The Dallas Wings (3-2) take on the Atlanta Dream (2-1) on Friday, May 22, at Gateway Center Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)

Dallas is riding a two-game win streak into Atlanta after picking up victories over the Washington Mystics and the Chicago Sky. Against the Sky on Wednesday, the Wings had multiple players in double figures, including Paige Bueckers, who had a game-high 24 points. Forward Jessica Shepard finished with 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to pick up the league's first triple-double of the season."I think we're starting to (develop) a chemistry with each other. That comes with repetition. We're in game five now, and I feel like we're growing. We're learning each other, and we're executing more every single game," Bueckers said after a 99-89 win over Chicago.

Atlanta seeks to get back in the win column after a down-to-the-wire loss against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The Dream erased a 17-point lead with just under eight minutes left in regulation, but Aces guard Chelsea Gray cemented Vegas' win with a heroic shot as time ticked away.

"I think we all want to see (that fourth-quarter resiliency) all the time," head coach Karl Smesko said. "The energy. The competitiveness. That was great. The more we can see that, the better ... There'll be more opportunities. This is a long season. We're gonna keep getting better. I think we have the makings of a great team."

The Dallas Wings play the Atlanta Dream on Friday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta.

Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream: TV, channel, streaming
Date: Friday, May 22
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gateway Center Arena (College Park, Georgia)
TV: ION
Stream: League Pass

CHICAGO — Jessica Shepard had her second career triple-double and the first in the WNBA this season, Arike Ogunbowale scored 11 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Wings beat the Chicago Sky 99-89 on Wednesday night.
Shepard tied her season high with 18 points on 6-for-7 shooting, added a career-best 12 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Natasha Cloud hit two free throws that cut Chicago’s deficit to three points with 2:32 left, but Ogunbowale answered with a 3-pointer 11 seconds later, then hit another with 1:42 remaining that made it 93-84.

Paige Bueckers scored 24 points for the Wings (3-2). Rookie Azzi Fudd tied her career high with 12 points. The No. 1 overall pick also scored 12 in a 92-69 win Monday against Washington.

Kamilla Cardoso had a season-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting and 11 rebounds — her second consecutive double-double and third this season — for the Sky (3-2). Cloud had 21 points and eight rebounds, Skylar Diggins scored 15 and Gabriela Jaquez added 12 points.

Shepard had eight points, six rebounds and five assists in the third quarter as the Wings outscored Chicago 34-26. It was Dallas' highest-scoring quarter this season and led to a 71-64 advantage. The Wings made 11 of 16 (68.8%) from the field, 3 of 5 from behind the arc, and hit 9 of 11 from the free-throw line in the period.

Rickea Jackson, Chicago's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game, missed her first game following a season-ending ACL injury sustained Sunday in the Sky's 86-79 win over Minnesota.

The Wings snapped a six-game skid against Chicago.

Rachel Banham converted a four-point play that capped a 10-0 run and gave the Sky an 11-point lead late in the first quarter.

DHJ Quick Take: Li Yueru’s Interior Resistance and Shepard’s Historic Triple-Double Fuel Road Turnaround

**Shepard Scripts WNBA History:**Forward Jessica Shepard orchestrated the third triple-double in franchise history—and the first leaguewide this season—tallying 18 points on an ultra-efficient 6-of-7 clip, a career-best 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.

**Li Yueru Alters the Paint Dynamics:**Coming off the bench for 19 critical minutes, center Li Yueru posted a game-high plus-18 rating. Her physical baseline defense walled up and neutralized Chicago star Kamilla Cardoso, forcing her out of low-block comfort while opening driving lanes for Dallas’ perimeter scorers.

Ogunbowale’s Historic Speed and Late-Game Dagger: Poring in 11 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter, Arike Ogunbowale snapped Chicago’s late 6-0 run with consecutive deep triples. Earlier in the frame, she logged her 900th career assist, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 4,500 points, 900 assists, and 300 steals (229 games).

**Depth Unlocks the Superpower Value:**Playing through early-possession struggles and a tough 1-4 switching look from Chicago, the starting backcourt found late continuity. Paige Bueckers poured in 24 points, pairing with rookie Azzi Fudd’s flawless 12-point cameo to capitalize on heavy ball movement that yielded 28 assists on 36 field goals.

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CHICAGO — Playing in a tough, high-energy road environment against a resilient opponent requires absolute precision, unselfishness, and poise. The Dallas Wings checked every single box on Wednesday night, showcasing an elite brand of basketball to quiet a roaring home opener crowd.
Sparked by a historic playmaking performance and lethal backcourt execution, the Wings overcame an early double-digit deficit to capture a 99-89 victory over the Chicago Skyat Wintrust Arena.

Dallas improved to 3-2 on the season by virtue of its second consecutive victory, snapping a six-game losing streak against Chicago in the process. The Sky also moved to 3-2 on the young season.

Jessica Shepard authored a masterclass from the frontcourt, securing just the third triple-double in Dallas franchise history. Shepard’s dominant performance featured 18 points on a hyper-efficient 6-of-7 shooting performance from the field, a career-high 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. She operated as the dynamic quarterback of head coach Jose Fernandez‘s offensive system, routinely carving up the interior defense of the Sky from the high post.

Paige Bueckers tied Kamilla Cardoso for the game-high with 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting, letting the game come to her cleanly while mixing smooth perimeter looks with aggressive downhill drives. Arike Ogunbowalewas equally spectacular, netting a season-high 23 points and distributing five assists while delivering a series of critical perimeter daggers in the closing minutes.

As a collective unit, the Wings put on a passing clinic, distributing 28 assists on 36 made field goals while shooting an efficient 50% from the floor and 42.9% from beyond the arc.

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Just four games into her sophomore season in the WNBA, Paige Bueckers has already made history. 

The Dallas Wings guard scored a game-high 18 points and recorded seven assists in the Wings’ 92-69 win over the Washington Mystics on Monday, joining Kelsey Plum as the only players in WNBA history to total 772 points and 216 assists through their first 40 career games. 

Bueckers’ career points total is the fifth-most through the first 40 games of a career in WNBA history. 
The 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year didn’t just pick up where she left off after her inaugural professional season — she's gotten better.  

Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists as a rookie last season, shooting 47.7% from the floor. So far in 2026, Bueckers is averaging 20 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. She’s been incredibly efficient, shooting 57.4% from the field and 62.5% from 3. 

The phenom is the only player in the WNBA averaging 20-plus points and five-plus assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from 3, according to Landon Thomas of the The Wings Bulletin. 

Wings coach Jose Fernandez said during training camp he wanted to see Bueckers, known for her midrange jumper, take more shots from deep. And she has seemingly accepted that challenge. 
She was 4 of 5 from behind the arc on Monday and is 10 of 16 from 3 through four games. It’s early, but that's a substantial improvement from 2025. 

In 36 games last season, Bueckers shot 33.1% from deep on 118 attempts. And with 22 assists through four games, she’s on pace to match or eclipse her 194 total assists in 2025. 

Bueckers ranks among the top 10 in the league in scoring, assists and 3-pointers made in 2026 and has helped the Wings (2-2) be in the position to win more games than they did in 2025, when the team finished 10-34. 

Dallas ranks top 5 in the league in offense with an average of 89.3 points per game and top 5 in field goal percentage with the team shooting 47.5% from the floor. 

DHJ Quick Take: Wings Open Three-Game Road Trip Facing Transition Test in Chicago

Start of First Multi-Game Road Trip: The Dallas Wings open a three-game road stretch Wednesday night against the Chicago Sky, hunting for their first regular-season win over Chicago since 2024 and their first road victory at Wintrust Arena since August 2, 2022.

**Siegrist Outlines Ball-Movement Blueprint:**Forward Maddy Siegrist emphasized that sustaining the heavy ball movement from Monday’s 30-assist performance is critical to matching Chicago’s transition pace, calling for strict communication to mirror their early-season rebounding standard.

**Ogunbowale Demands Defensive Execution:**Veteran guard Arike Ogunbowale identified perimeter defense as the game’s non-negotiable, highlighting the need to match a revamped, physical Sky backcourt featuring high-profile veteran additions Skylar Diggins and Natasha Cloud.

Fudd Gains Rookie Momentum: No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd enters the matchup shooting an efficient 61.1% from the floor. Ogunbowale praised Fudd’s maturity in filtering out external noise, noting her developmental stride is heavily supported by multi-time WNBA champion Alysha Clark.

Bueckers and Shepard Track Elite League Benchmarks: Through the opening stretch of the 2026 season, Paige Bueckers remains the lone WNBA player averaging 20+ points and 5+ assists on a 50/50 shooting split, while frontcourt anchor Jessica Shepard ranks fifth leaguewide in rebounding at 9.8 boards per game.

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ARLINGTON, TX — Azzi Fudd’s on-court entry into the WNBA was quieter than many may have anticipated. 

The 2026 No. 1 overall pick was the second of back-to-back guards selected by the Dallas Wings at the top of the order. Fudd was widely expected to be an instant complement to 2025 first pick Paige Bueckersand veteran Arike Ogunbowale in the team’s backcourt. 

“We needed to address 3-point shooting,” head coach Jose Fernandez told reporters on draft night. “So I think now having Paige and Arike and Azzi on the floor together, and what we addressed in free agency with our front line … I think now it’s a little bit more relaxed with the post players that we got that’s going to free her up for a lot of things.”

The projections for her role haven’t dissipated, but they haven’t been fulfilled with the immediacy that usually comes with a No. 1 pick. In her WNBA debut, Fudd came off the bench, playing 18 minutes, scoring 3 points and taking just two shots. Four games into the Wings’ season, she’s made all of her three appearances as a reserve and missed the home opener with a knee injury.

A No. 1 pick hasn’t come off the bench in her debut since 2017, when Kelsey Plum also didn’t crack the starting lineup until her fourth game with the San Antonio Stars. 

Fernandez never made promises that Fudd would be in the opening lineups, but the trio of her, Bueckers and Ogunbowale had come up repeatedly in the time between the draft and the opener. General manager Curt Miller even imagined them as starters as he walked reporters through the team’s projected depth. 

“When you think of a projected potential lineup of Paige, Arike, Azzi and Jess [Shepard] and, let’s say, Alanna [Smith], you’re talking a second unit now of Odyssey [Sims], Aziaha [James], Maddy Siegrist, Awak [Kuier] and Li [Yueru],” Miller said on April 23. “That’s a pretty good 10.”

Instead, it’s been Odyssey Sims who landed the final starting spot alongside Bueckers and Ogunbowale in the backcourt so far. The 12-year veteran — who played in Dallas in 2016, 2023 and 2024 — is accomplished as a pro and played a crucial role for the Indiana Fever during their semifinals run last season.

Sims was the final player added to the roster, signing a training camp deal days after the draft. She has quickly taken on an important role with the team as the starting point guard, with team leadership praising both her veteran presence and ability to take pressure off the heavily-guarded Bueckers. 
In the opening win over Indiana, Sims scored 20 points, including a clutch shot late to put the team up five with 36.4 seconds left. 

“I thought she did well, scored 20 points, did a very good job defensively,” Fernandez said in the days afterward. “It’s just, for me, I want to save Paige’s legs down the stretch in the fourth quarter. The more I can play her off the ball, we know she’s going to get trapped at the point guard spot and in some pick-and-roll situations. … For right now, that’s our lineup, and that’s what I’m gonna go with.”

Fudd, meanwhile, scored her only bucket on an open 3-pointer in transition. Of her 18 minutes, fewer than six came alongside both Bueckers and Ogunbowale, and Dallas scored 20 points in that second-quarter stretch.

The rookie guard missed the next game, downgraded from probable to out for the home opener against the Atlanta Dream with a knee injury. Fernandez said pregame they made the move out of “an abundance of caution.”

When Fudd did make her home debut, she hit 20 minutes off the bench and scored 8 points while also contributing a block and a steal. She matched up with 2026 No. 2 overall pick Olivia Miles and played key minutes in a tight fourth quarter before being pulled for Sims in the final two minutes of the loss to the Minnesota Lynx. 

“You want [Fudd] more comfortable,” Fernandez said postgame. “We had to get Odyssey back in there because Paige was getting double-teamed, and she was getting worn down. We needed a point guard in there to get us into some things.” 

Against the Washington Mystics, Fudd once again exited early, but this time under different circumstances. After subbing in with 6:37 left in the third quarter, she played almost 14 consecutive minutes alongside Bueckers, Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard as Dallas’ lead grew from 9 to as much as 25. Fudd finished with 12 points and three assists in her 24 minutes played.

While she’s been known as a 3-point sharpshooter, much of her success has come inside the arc. Her outside threat has perhaps been a part of opening that up. Multiple times, Fudd received the ball on the perimeter after coming off a screen and responded to a defender’s closeout with a mid-range pull-up off the dribble. On another occasion, she received a pass from Bueckers and drove to the rim through contact. 

She’s only 1-for-4 from beyond the arc this season, but is happy with the looks she’s been able to generate.

“I’m just reading what the defense and what the game gives me,” Fudd said after the win over the Mystics. “I know I’m a good 3-point shooter, and people like to limit me to that, but I’m more than just that.”

As the No. 1 pick continues to be a key piece of the team’s rotation, there’s no telling for certain when or if she’ll enter the starting lineup. Fernandez told reporters on May 11 that the guard is capable of starting and that “she’ll be ready” when the time comes. 

Don’t expect to see less of her, however, as the Wings begin a three-game road trip.

“I think everybody was excited to see Azzi, and how well she played, and how she shot it, and how she defended it, and how she created off the bounce,” Fernandez said after the win over Washington. “I’m glad that now we can continue to increase her minutes.”