A Nigerian female basketball star based in the United States of America, Arike Ogunbowale has been arrested after getting into a fight at a night club in the early hours of Thursday, Sports247 reports.
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champion with Dallas Wings was arrested at a Miami nightclub few hours after helping Mist BC win the Unrivaled championship on Wednesday night.
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Miami-Dade County court records further revealed that Ogunbowale was arrested at 4:22 a.m. ET at E11EVEN lounge on a misdemeanor battery charge, after the four-time WNBA All-Star allegedly punched a security staff.
It was gathered that the security personnel had been attempting to escort her out of the establishment due to an altercation, but Ogunbowale allegedly overreacted and gave a punch that caused the victim to fall heavily.
The 29-year-old Ogunbowale was taken into custody after an onsite officer stated in the complaint that security personnel alerted them of a physical altercation occurring inside the club.
Andy Slater of Fox Sports South Florida added, “When the officer proceeded to the rear exit of the building, they observed a large crowd being escorted out by security staff.
“The officer then reached the alleged victim, who provided a statement claiming Ogunbowale punched him while he was trying to escort her out of the venue.”
The WNBA team responded in a statement, via Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile: “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.”
Sports247 reports further that it is a major setback for Ogunbowale, who The Wings acquired with the fifth pick of the 2019 WNBA Draft out of Notre Dame University, after she hit the game-winner in the 2018 national championship final.
The guard, who has spent all seven seasons of her WNBA career in Dallas, led the league in scoring with 22.8 points per game in 2020 and has earned All-Star Game MVP honours twice: first in 2021 and then again in 2024.
Born on March 2nd, 1997 to Gregory and Yolanda Block Ogunbowale in Milwaukee, USA, Arike played college basketball for Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish, before being drafted by The Wings.
She was the Most Outstanding Player of Notre Dame’s 2018 national title run, hitting game-winning baskets in both the semi-final, six years after she was part of four Division One Wisconsin State High School Champions soccer teams.
Her father served in the Nigerian military, her mother played softball at DePaul University, while her brother, Dare Ogunbowale, played football at University of Wisconsin and is a running back for Houston Texans.
