Drafted with the third overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Maddy Siegrist has been through the ringer the past week, taking on new challenges off the court. Getting drafted, new player orientation, starting to pack to make the move to Texas from Villanova, and flying out to Dallas have all comprised her past week, with a multitude of phone calls and media appearances in between.
A self-described ‘sponge’ who is always looking to learn, Siegrist is eager to get to training camp and back to what she does best, which is playing ball.
“The stronger players you play with, the better you’re going to be… knowing how many good players they have here, I’m gonna make the most of that,” says Siegrist.
She’s an avid film watcher, already having dove into clips and games of her soon to be teammates, noting she finds comfort through her preparation. She shares that quality with Wings first year head coach, Latricia Trammell, something Trammell grinned about while sharing during Dallas’ presser introducing Siegrist and the Wings’ entire five player draft class.
Trammell and general manager Greg Bibb both spoke highly on the importance of adding off-ball players who can fit into Trammell’s system, and balance out the offense around Arike Ogunbowale.
“She fits our philosophy,” says Trammell. “That’s so important, because that’s one way to get players that are drafted a chance to succeed.”
However, Dallas’ brass made it clear that they view Siegrist as more than just a shooter and floor spacer.
“Maddy reminds us of a shorter, younger Elena Delle Donne… I think she has that high ceiling, she has the work ethic, and the mentality,” says Trammell.
That’s high praise considering Delle Donne is one of the greatest players to play the game and an eventual lock for the Hall of Fame. The leading scorer in Division I basketball this past season, Siegrist brings a remarkable blend of scoring versatility, touch, and efficiency, nearly eclipsing the coveted 50/40/90 shooting split.
She’s spent the past few weeks ramping up her workouts to get ready for the coming months and professional acclimation, but is also cognizant that it takes time to adjust. She wants to come in and play whatever role she can to best help the Wings compete and isn’t focused on individual benchmarks, she says.
“I’m just really excited, I’m gonna learn a lot in the next few weeks, and I’m just trying to give myself a little grace within that time,” Siegrist said. “I know there’s gonna be a learning curve, it’s like you’re a freshman again. I’m just gonna keep my head down and get to work.”
The Wings were a middling three-point shooting team last season, finishing 7th in percentage of points from three, 8th in three point percentage as a team, and 6th in three-point rate according to Her Hoop Stats. With three of their top four shooters by volume and percentage departing in the off-season (Allisha Gray, Kayla Thornton, and Marina Mabrey), addressing their ability to space the floor as a team was essential.
By bringing in Siegrist, it appears they’ve done just that, while also opening the door for more down the road depending on Siegrist’s development. While it’s unsure what Siegrist’s role will be until the team enters training camp, there’s already immense reason for excitement and intrigue in Dallas.