It's fascinating how life, and a basketball career, can bring you full circle. For Odyssey Sims, that circle has recently led her back to the Dallas Wings, a team that holds a special place in her history.
Seven years ago, Sims was a hometown hero, a co-star helping to introduce the WNBA to a new Texas market. Now, after navigating five different teams and the profound experience of becoming a mother, she's back with the Wings on her second contract of the season. It's a return that carries a different kind of weight, a maturity forged through experience.
She's open about how she views her younger self, admitting she might have been a less-than-ideal teammate back then. "I feel like if I never played in Minnesota in 2019, I probably wouldn’t be in the league," Sims shared. That period, she explained, was a turning point where she learned the crucial difference between criticizing teammates and offering support. The veterans there, like Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus, helped shift her perspective from "Why did you do that?" to "How can I help?"
This evolution is particularly poignant given her early career success. Coming out of Baylor, she was a standout, joining Brittney Griner as one of the program's only three-time All-Americans, even winning an NCAA title in 2012. She was drafted second overall in 2014, sharing the spotlight with Skylar Diggins-Smith in Dallas. But the path wasn't always smooth. Trades took her to Los Angeles and then Minnesota, where those lessons in teamwork were learned the hard way. She even recalls a sharp exchange with a rookie teammate that was quickly shut down by veterans, highlighting her initial approach.
Sims' lone WNBA All-Star season was also the last time she consistently put up double-digit points. The spotlight dimmed somewhat after a suspension following a drunken-driving arrest, and subsequent years saw her recovering from injuries. It was during this time, as the Wings called earlier this season, that the opportunity for a return arose. The initial hardship contract was brief due to roster constraints, but it paved the way for this more significant homecoming.
Now, at nearly 31, Sims feels a profound sense of happiness and completion. "You have no idea. I’m so happy to be back," she said, her smile reflecting the joy of this full-circle moment. She's ready to contribute to the current stars of the franchise, Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally, bringing a seasoned perspective and a renewed commitment to being a good teammate.
