WNBA Star Arike Ogunbowale Cleared of Battery Charge After Accusation She Punched Man

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Arike Ogunbowale on Jan. 17, 2026
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NEED TO KNOW​

• A battery charge against WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale has been dropped, according to multiple reports
• Ogunbowale, who plays for the WNBA's Dallas Wings, was arrested while celebrating her Unrivaled team's championship in Miami on March 5
• The Wings kick off their season against the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 9

WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale has been cleared of a battery charge two months after her arrest in Miami.

According to Fox Sports' Andy Slater and TMZ, the charge against Ogunbowale, 29, was dismissed after a court hearing on Wednesday, May 6.

In a statement to ESPN's Alexa Phillipou following the dismissal, the Dallas Wings star's attorney, Mitch Schuster, said, “We are pleased that the State Attorney's Office has exercised its discretion and elected not to move forward with this matter. Ms. Ogunbowale is a person of outstanding character, and we are excited that these charges have been dismissed so she can resume her focus on her professional career.”

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Arike Ogunbowale on Jan. 23, 2026 in Medley, Florida
Credit: Megan Briggs/Getty

Ogunbowale was arrested on Thursday, March 5 while celebrating her Unrivaled Basketball team's championship in Miami, the Dallas Wings confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.

Miami-Dade officers arrested Ogunbowale just before 4:30 a.m. on March 5 after it was alleged that she punched a man while out with teammates at Club E11EVEN, USA Today reported. She was charged with misdemeanor battery and released after posting a $1,000 bond, per the outlet.

At the time, Slater reported that the unidentified man fell to the ground after being struck by the WNBA star and that the incident was caught on camera.

After the arrest, Unrivaled Basketball said they were "aware of an incident involving" Ogunbowale and that they were "in the process of gathering additional information" in a statement to PEOPLE. The Wings shared a similar statement at the time, adding, "Further comments will be provided once we have more details."

Ogunbowale was drafted in 2019 by the Wings with the fifth overall pick and went on to become a four-time WNBA All-Star in the years since. She also plays for Mist in the Unrivaled basketball league during the WNBA offseason, where she won the league's 2026 championship.

Ogunbowale signed a multi-year seven figure deal to stay with the Wings this offseason. The team will kick off its 2026 season with a road game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 9.

Read the original article on People

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