The Dallas Wings are off to the worst start in the WNBA this season -- the Wings are just 1-8 through nine games, and an injury has sidelined Paige Bueckers, who the organization secured with the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
But with the team's top draft pick and star guard on the bench, another 2025 draft selection had a massive night for the Wings during their matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night -- that being former West Virginia standout JJ Quinerly.
Quinerly was a third-round draft pick and made the opening night roster for the Wings, but had made just four appearances in eight games before Friday night, typically seeing less than 10 minutes of action per game. As the Wings battled the Sparks on Friday, Quinerly still only saw 16 minutes of action -- but she used every single second of playing time to demonstrate why she may be part of the solution for a struggling Dallas team.
Quinerly went 5-for-10 shooting, including 1-for-3 from behind-the-arc, and dropped 14 points in her limited action -- despite six players from the Wings tallying more minutes played during the game, Quinerly walked away as the team's second-leading scorer in the effort. She also chipped in four assists, two rebounds, and one steal.
Sadly, the Wings fell to the Sparks 93-79, extending the Wings' losing streak to four consecutive games. But in the loss, the Wings may have found a potential solution to their early-season struggles in Quinerly, who proved she can make big things happen for her team in limited minutes. She is now averaging 3.3 points per game and 1.1 assists per game following the performance.
Quinerly and the Wings will be back in action on Sunday, June 8th for their third matchup this season with the Minnesota Lynx, who lead the season series with the Wings 2-0. Tip-off is set for 4 PM EST from the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.