dpDSJ Quick Take: Jessica Shepard Ruled Out Against Minnesota Lynx
Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard suffered a right ankle injury in the first quarter Sunday at Target Center and will not return against the Minnesota Lynx.
- What happened? Shepard hurt her right ankle in the opening quarter and the team ruled her out for the rest of the game.
- What did she have before leaving? No points, 1 assist, and 1 foul without a shot attempt.
- Why does it matter? Shepard leads the WNBA in rebounding and is averaging 14.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 31 games in her first season with Dallas.
- What’s next? Dallas hosts the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT at College Park Center.
MINNEAPOLIS — Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard suffered a right ankle injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Lynx and will not return, the team announced. Shepard did not attempt a shot before leaving the floor at Target Center, finishing with 1 assist and 1 personal foul.
Minnesota led 47-45 at halftime. Dallas led 23-21 after the first quarter, and the Lynx outscored the Wings 26-22 in the second.
Through 31 games in her first season with Dallas, Shepard is averaging 14.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 59.3% from the field. Her rebounding average ranks first in the WNBA. She has recorded four triple-doubles this season after entering the year with one in her WNBA career, and she is the first player in league history with more than one game of at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a season.
Jessica Shepard’s First Season In Dallas
On July 20 against the New York Liberty, Shepard posted her 17th double-double of the season and moved into a tie for the WNBA lead. Two days later at Portland, she finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 101-97 win. The league named her an All-Star starter in July, the first All-Star selection of her career. She has also won Western Conference Player of the Week twice this season, the first for games played May 25-31.
Shepard signed a multi-year contract with Dallas in April after spending her entire WNBA career with Minnesota, which drafted her 16th overall in 2019. Over 40 games with the Lynx in 2025, she averaged 8.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 63.8% from the field. She scored her 1,000th career point on June 9 at Target Center. Six games into her rookie season, Shepard tore her ACL, and she missed the 2020 season while recovering.
Sunday marked the 31st appearance of her season in Dallas’ 32nd game.
What The Dallas Wings Have Up Front
Paige Bueckers leads Dallas at 20.0 points and 5.7 assists per game. Alanna Smith, Awak Kuier, Li Yueru, and Maddy Siegrist are the frontcourt options behind Shepard, and all four played in the first half Sunday.
Dallas entered the afternoon 19-13 and fourth in the Western Conference. Minnesota entered 26-7 and first in the conference. Across its previous seven games, Dallas had lost five, including a 96-92 loss at the Washington Mystics on Aug. 5 and a 94-76 home loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday.
Minnesota won the first three meetings between the teams this season, 90-86 in Arlington on May 14, 100-76 at Target Center on June 9, and 85-77 in Arlington on June 28.
Dallas returns to College Park Center on Wednesday to host the Toronto Tempo at 7 p.m. CT.
