"The beef is officially over": Arike Ogunbowale shares true feelings on relationship with Geno Auriemma

Arike Ogunbowale has confirmed that her beef with Connecticut Huskies coach Geno Auriemma is officially over. Before becoming a WNBA All-Star for the Dallas Wings, Ogunbowale was one of the best players in college with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Before making it to college, Ogunbowale once tweeted a list of the top five colleges on her recruiting list. In her tweet, she mentioned Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, UCLA and Wisconsin. Just a few minutes after the Wings star put her list out, Geno Auriemma tweeted something of his own:

"Stay tuned for my list of the 5 players I saw the past 7 days that I have zero interest in recruiting.... #whatajoke.”

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This interaction was the start of their supposed beef, which has now been squashed. Auriemma was in attendance for the Wings’ game against the Golden State Valkyries this Tuesday. After the game, he greeted Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.

Following their interaction, she announced that their beef is officially over:

“Dapped up Geno after the game. The beef is officially over 😭😂”

The Wings defeated the Valkyries, 80-71, and improved to 2-11 for the season. Paige Bueckers (20 points and four rebounds) and Arike Ogunbowale (19 points, six assists and five rebounds) paved the way for Dallas’ win.

Paige Bueckers’ arrival has led to quite a fall in Arike Ogunbowale’s numbers

Arike Ogunbowale was an All-Star for the Dallas Wings last season, recording 22.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. Unfortunately, she has failed to have the same impact since the Wings drafted Paige Bueckers with the No.1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft.

This season, Ogunbowale is recording 16.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Bueckers’ arrival has led to fewer touches for the 2024 All-Star. Fortunately, the UConn alum is doing well, averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

The arrival of a talent like Bueckers usually makes teams better. Unfortunately for the Wings, that has not been the case. They have been the worst team in the league this season, winning just two out of their first 13 games. Unless Chris Koclanes makes the necessary adjustments, the Wings could be back in the draft lottery next season.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Nadim El Kak