- If the game comes down to the last shot, Arike is exactly who you want with the ball. She famously hit back-to-back buzzer beaters to win the 2018 NCAA championship for Notre Dame, and the clutch gene clearly stuck! Just ask Mist BC, who she carried to the Unrivaled championship game with a late game-winning three ON HER BIRTHDAY!
- Arike’s brother is Dare Ogunbowale, a running back in the NFL. She’s said he’s the first person she calls for advice because he understands exactly what life as a pro athlete feels like. Basically a built-in support system who also knows the grind.
- Before becoming a WNBA scoring machine, Arike was also a soccer star in high school, helping lead her team to four straight Wisconsin state titles. So yes, elite athlete energy was always the plan, even if basketball eventually stole the spotlight.
- “Arike” comes from Yoruba and means “a child you treasure, cherish, and love.” She’s incredibly proud of her Nigerian heritage and often talks about loving Afrobeats and classic Nigerian dishes like jollof rice. The culture is always part of the story.
- In 2018, while still at Notre Dame (!!!), Arike competed on Dancing with the Stars alongside pro dancer Gleb Savchenko. It didn’t last long (Week 2 exit), but honestly, dropping NCAA tournament daggers and doing ballroom on national TV in the same year is RANGE.