As the WNBA regular season winds down, longtime records continue to fall.
On Thursday, Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings became the franchise’s all-time scoring leader, besting the previous record of 3,971 points set by Deanna Nolan. Ogunbowale now has 3,972 points for her career, breaking the record in the fourth quarter of Dallas’ matchup against the New York Liberty. (Dallas lost to New York, 99-67.)
Ogunbowale — the No. 5 pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft — has set the franchise’s new scoring mark in just six seasons. It took Nolan nine to score 3,971 points.
During her record-setting performance, Ogunbowale had the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “BHM” laced up. The shoes have been spotted on the feet of both WNBA and NBA players since Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late basketball icon Kobe Bryant, revealed them on social media in January 2023. The look is dressed in cream, brown, pink and blue hues, and are completed with black outsoles.
Although this is the latest record set by Ogunbowale, it’s not the only one she has broken this season. During the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, Ogunbowale scored 34 points, setting a new All-Star Game record. Her performance not only led Team WNBA to a 117-109 win over the USA Women’s National Team, it also earned her All-Star Game MVP honors.
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
