Arike Ogunbowale reclines in a chair, confidently showcasing her Swarovski crystal-covered Nike Air Force 1s on a desk in front of Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban. Adorned with sunglasses and diamond pendant chains, including one with her number 24, she dismisses Cuban’s outlandish business ideas presented in a mock Shark Tank production within a State Farm commercial. Despite her impressive appearances alongside LeBron James, Chris Paul, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Jonquel Jones in the commercial series, many are left wondering: Who’s the girl in the State Farm commercial with Mark Cuban?
“It’s funny,” Ogunbowale chuckles, “I’ve seen comments saying, ‘Isn’t that the girl from the commercial?’ It’s like the WNBA is my side job and commercials are my main gig.”
This is the paradox of Ogunbowale—the player who is favored by other top players. As the third-leading scorer in the WNBA, she possesses lightning-quick moves, breathtaking crossovers, step-backs, and hesitations that would make her a perfect fit for an And1 Mixtape. This style developed in her hometown of Milwaukee, where she made a name for herself. Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, known for her defensive skills, even labels Ogunbowale as one of the top three guards in terms of her handling abilities. At just 26 years old, Ogunbowale has an impeccable résumé—a No. 5 overall pick who led Notre Dame to a national championship as the tournament’s most outstanding player, a three-time All-Star, and the MVP of the 2021 showcase event featuring the Olympic team.
But her on-court style is indivisible from her off-court aura. At a Final Four party in Dallas, attended by legends like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Sheryl Swoopes, it was Ogunbowale who stole the show. Rocking her chains, sunglasses, Christian Louboutin shoes, and a patchwork jacket, she grabbed the microphone and toasted the crowd. And yet, some still ask, “Who’s that girl?”
“Arike brings this cool, smooth vibe,” says Ogunbowale’s Wings teammate, Odyssey Sims. “It’s there on and off the court. Of course, she’s more fierce and competitive on the court, which I love about her. But off the court, it’s like this aura, this presence. You can feel it when she walks by. When she enters the room, you just want to absorb some of that greatness. It’s a rare vibe, an aura that doesn’t come along often.”
Ogunbowale’s older brother, Dare Ogunbowale, a running back for the Houston Texans, has seen this in her throughout their lives. While Dare had to work his way onto the University of Wisconsin football team, Arike was already a McDonald’s All-American and a top recruit. Now, they own homes just ten minutes apart in Dallas and have a close bond. This past offseason, she declined to play overseas for the first time, choosing to participate in the league’s player marketing agreement and train with Dare. They have been training together since they were kids, even when Dare didn’t want to and didn’t believe Arike needed it. Dare realizes that she has been the best athlete since the age of seven, always striving to work harder, especially after he got his driver’s license. He jokingly mentions that she still owes him gas money.
Much has changed since their mother, Yolanda, a former softball player at DePaul, would make them go on early morning three-mile runs, something Arike despised. Their father, Greg, was even more intense, trailing behind them in the car during those runs.
“We went to a Bucks game a couple of years ago in Milwaukee,” recalls Dare, “and one of the security guards started crying because she was such a fan and was excited to meet Arike. It’s unbelievable.”
Muffet McGraw, the former Notre Dame coach, can believe it. She admits to being hesitant about embracing Ogunbowale’s so-called aura. McGraw loved her fearlessness but took some time to help Ogunbowale understand what constituted a good shot. Confidence was never an issue for her, and her internal drive not only fueled her own development but inspired the rest of the team. That same mentality prevented her from feeling overly frustrated about not making the Olympic team and instead led to her being named MVP against those very Olympians.
McGraw credits Skylar Diggins-Smith, another confident player she coached, for helping shape Ogunbowale’s readiness.
“In her mind, she always had that sense of ‘huh, I’ll show you’,” says McGraw. “Arike just wanted to be the best and was willing to do whatever it took to get there. She never doubted her abilities. That’s why our team succeeded—they just looked at her and knew.”
That ruthlessness on the court is evident in every Dallas Wings game. Ogunbowale has never finished a WNBA season ranked lower than fifth in scoring and currently sits at 11th this season with a career-high 4.8 assists per game. She recently achieved her first career double-double with 18 points and 11 assists. Her fame is growing due to her commercials, and her sense of fashion is becoming well-known outside of the league. It’s an industry she hopes to become more involved in in the future.
But for now, Ogunbowale prefers to unwind in her home with her dog, Kobe, and indulge in her favorite reality TV shows. Describing herself as a “reality-show fiend,” she finds solace and entertainment in shows like “Selling Sunset,” “Love Island,” “Love is Blind,” and “Baddies.” She takes great pride in her Nigerian heritage and strives to be a role model from Milwaukee to across the Atlantic Ocean.
Basketball fans have been aware of Ogunbowale’s talents since her high school days, and now the rest of the world is starting to see.
“I’ve had many people tell me, ‘Oh, you’re much nicer than I thought you would be,'” Ogunbowale chuckles. “I don’t understand why people compare someone’s on-court demeanor to who they are in real life. Obviously, I’m a fierce competitor on the court. There are no friends on the court. But off the court, I’m relaxed and easygoing. I go with the flow. I’m adaptable.
“Eventually, people realize that once they get to know me.”
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