The Dallas Wings made two roster moves before Friday’s game against the Atlanta Dream, signing guard Christyn Williams to an extreme hardship contract and re-signing forward Amy Okonkwo to a seven-day hardship deal.

The league granted Dallas the hardship exception on Thursday after injuries left the team at risk of falling below the WNBA’s minimum requirement of eight available players, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The Wings’ injury list remains extensive: Paige Bueckers (illness) is questionable, while Aziaha James (right ankle) and Haley Jones (right knee) are doubtful. James suffered her injury late in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s loss to Connecticut, while Luisa Geiselsöder (right shoulder) also exited that game and was ruled out for the rest of the night.

Arike Ogunbowale remains sidelined with right knee tendinitis but has not been declared out for the season. Tyasha Harris underwent knee surgery after appearing in just five games, while JJ Quinerly and Li Yueru are both out for the year with ACL sprains.

Through 39 games, no Dallas player has appeared in every contest, and the team has lost 107 player games to injury or absence. For the Wings, the latest hardship signings were another scramble in a season defined by roster shuffling.

Challenges of Hardship Signings

The decision to bring in a guard instead of a post player raised questions, given Dallas’ frontcourt needs. Sources said the team vetted roughly 20 post players and their agents before signing Williams.

Signing hardship players at this point in the season is difficult across the league. Most WNBA-caliber post players have already reported to their overseas clubs or are departing this week to join them. Others are recovering from injuries, not in game condition, or unable to leave on such short notice without jeopardizing international contracts.

Williams was able to move quickly, sources said, and had about 90 minutes to reach the airport after agreeing to the deal. The No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 draft, she returns after previous stops with the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx. At UConn, she played alongside Bueckers for two seasons and reached three Final Fours.

As part of their adjustments on Friday, the Wings also altered their routine, replacing their typical shootaround with a film session and walk-through at the team hotel. While more WNBA teams have begun following an NBA trend of canceling morning shootarounds, Dallas has typically continued them with its young roster. Friday marked a different approach.

Amy Okonkwo, Serena Sundell Add Depth

Okonkwo has been one of the Wings’ most consistent hardship contributors since signing earlier this month. In three appearances, she has averaged 11.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 57.7% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc.

Her scoring output has increased in every game, from eight points in her debut against Seattle on Aug. 22, to 12 against Golden State on Aug. 24, and 14 against Connecticut on Aug. 27. Head coach Chris Koclanes and teammates have praised her adaptability and spark off the bench.

Serena Sundell, who joined Dallas the day before the Connecticut game via hardship contract, made her debut Wednesday with two minutes of action. She had only one practice and a shootaround to get acclimated to her new teammates before stepping on the floor.

Drafted 26th overall by the Seattle Storm this spring, Sundell was waived before the regular season and most recently played for the 2025 USA 3×3 Women’s Nations League Team.

Game Preview: Dallas Wings at Atlanta Dream

The Wings (9-30) begin a four-game road swing on Friday in Atlanta. Tipoff at Gateway Center Arena is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT on ION. Dallas dropped its most recent outing 101-95 to the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday. In that game, James scored 22 points before exiting late with an ankle injury.

Atlanta (24-14) enters after falling 81-75 at home to the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday. Brionna Jones led the Dream with 19 points in that contest. Atlanta has taken two of three games against Dallas this season, including an 88-85 victory on July 30 when Naz Hillmon scored 21 points and Bueckers matched her with 21 for the Wings.

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