A steady force for the Dallas Wings, the team's veteran forward earned WNBA Week 3 honors after delivering consistent performances on both ends of the floor. Her leadership, reliability, and impact continue to be key for Dallas as the season gains momentum.
The Dallas Wings are off to their best start since relocating to North Texas in 2016, and a key reason behind that success is their forward, who earned WNBA Week three honors.
During the offseason, Dallas drafted Azzi Fudd number one overall in the 2026 draft and signed Alanna Smith, Odyssey Sims, Alysha Clark, and Jessica Shepard.
On June 2, Shepard was named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week, which is the first time a Dallas player has won the award since 2023. She has been a calming presence for the new-look Wings, who have a first-year head coach in Jose Fernandez.
Veteran Presence
Dallas is 6-3 on the season and is on a three-game winning streak; two of the three wins include wins over the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. This season, the Wings have depth and a brand-new offense with ball movement.
Shepard's leadership and versatility have helped this young team gel together and pull out close games. This is the first Player of the Week honor of her career.
The 6-foot-4 forward recorded the first triple-double of the 2026 season and did so against the Aces, finishing the game with 22 points, a career-high 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. She is the first WNBA player to finish with that stat line.
While Dallas has multiple vets with experience, outside of Clark who is a three-time WNBA champion, Shepard has a wealth of playoff experience and has played in the finals which can rub off on this young team.
Shepard can impact the game without having the ball in her hands; she can create her own offense, guard multiple positions, and can crash the boards. However, her leadership is often overlooked.
This season, the Dallas forward is averaging 12.6 points, 11 rebounds (career-high), and 5.9 assists (career-high), while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. She is also averaging a career-high 30.9 minutes per game.
New Team Dynamic
Currently, the Wings are third in league standings and have had the third most assists in a game with 30, behind the New York Liberty (32) and the Chicago Sky (31). Dallas is also third in most three-pointers in a game with 15, trailing the Indiana Fever (17) and the Golden State Valkyries.
In addition to the franchise's three-point shooting and assists, the team is third in the highest percent of points midrange with 11.4 percent, trailing the Minnesota Lynx (13.9 percent) and the Connecticut Sun (13 percent).
Dallas is set to play on June 5 against the Los Angeles Sparks in their WNBA Commissioner's Cup debut.
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