Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale was arrested early Thursday morning in Miami on a misdemeanor battery charge after allegedly punching a man during celebrations for her team’s victory in the inaugural Unrivaled women’s basketball league championship.
According to Miami-Dade County jail records and an arrest affidavit, the 29-year-old Ogunbowale struck the man in the face with a closed fist at Club E11EVEN, causing him to fall to the ground. The incident was captured on surveillance video, police said. Sources told Fox Sports reporter Andy Slater that the altercation occurred while Ogunbowale was celebrating Mist BC’s win over Phantom BC in the Unrivaled final.
SLATER SCOOP: WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale was arrested on Thursday while celebrating her team’s Unrivaled basketball championship at Club E11EVEN in Miami.
Police sources tell me she punched a man in the face and he fell to the ground.
It was also caught on camera. pic.twitter.com/qSK3Gfn8Na
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) March 6, 2026
Ogunbowale, a four-time WNBA All-Star and former Notre Dame standout, was booked into jail around 3 a.m. and released later that day after posting bond. Court records indicate the punch stemmed from an attempt to escort her out of the club following an unrelated dispute. No further details on the victim’s condition or identity were immediately available.
The Dallas Wings issued a statement Friday acknowledging the incident: “The Wings are aware of an incident involving Arike Ogunbowale and are in the process of gathering more information. Further comments will be provided once we have more details.”
Ogunbowale played a pivotal role in Mist BC’s championship run, hitting a game-winning 3-pointer in the semifinals at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on her birthday earlier this week. Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, concluded its first season Wednesday in Miami, with Ogunbowale’s team claiming the title.
Ogunbowale, drafted fifth overall by Dallas in 2019, has been a cornerstone for the Wings, averaging 22.2 points per game last season. She has no prior arrests on record. Representatives for Ogunbowale and Unrivaled did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case is pending in Miami-Dade County court, with a hearing date yet to be set. Club E11EVEN, a popular nightlife spot in downtown Miami, declined to comment on the incident.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
