Add the Dallas Wings to the growing list of WNBA head-coaching vacancies after bidding farewell to first-year coach Chris Koclanes.
The Dallas Wings are turning the page with Paige, but without the head coach who oversaw her first WNBA season.
The Wings announced on Tuesday that they would not reunite with head coach Chris Koclanes, ending his term after one season at the helm. Dallas finished 10-34 despite carrying the services of the Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers and tied with Chicago for the worst record in the association.
“On behalf of the Dallas Wings, I want to thank Chris for his many and immediate contributions to the organization this past season,” Wings executive vice president and general manager Curt Miller said in a statement from the team. “With new team facilities being built, a youthful roster under contract, and the rights to three first round draft selections over the next two seasons, including a lottery pick in 2026, the Wings are well-positioned for future success.”
“As we enter a pivotal point in our team’s future, we felt a change in leadership at this time was best for our organization. The Dallas Wings remain dedicated to their pursuit of WNBA Championships and building upon the strong culture established on and off the court.”
Koclanes, 35, has spent all of his WNBA career working under Miller, working on his staffs during the latter’s head coaching stops in Connecticut and Los Angeles. In between, Koclanes was an assistant coach under Lindsay Gottlieb at the University of Southern California.
Chris Koclanes will not return as head coach of the Dallas Wings. pic.twitter.com/bk1ewqqc3M
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) September 30, 2025
Despite Bueckers living up to her hype as the top pick of the most recent WNBA Draft and still carrying the services of four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings never generated any lasting momentum, dropping all but one of their first 11 games and winning only two after the mid-summer break. The Wings were forced to admit defeat on the high-profile DiJonai Carrington experiments, trading 2024’s Most Improved Player to Minnesota at the trade deadline.
Dallas becomes the fifth team to carry a WNBA head coaching vacancy: Seattle and defending champion New York respectively bid farewell to Noelle Quinn and Sandy Brondello after brief playoff showings while the expansion clubs in Portland and Toronto are seeking their first leaders.
Dallas Eyes New Coach “Immediately”
The next man or woman to take the head coaching spot will be Dallas’ fifth of the decade: Brian Agler started the 20s in the Bradenton bubble before giving way to Vickie Johnson. The ex-New York Liberty star spent two seasons at the helm, which was match by Latricia Trammel. The franchise, which just wrapped up its 10th season under its North Texas identity, has earned only two playoff advancements since winning the last of three championships in its Detroit Shock era in 2008.
Despite the star-crossed history, Dallas nonetheless stands as an attractive destination: even with most of the roster set to hit free agency with the collective bargaining agreement situation unresolved, the Wings still have Bueckers, Maddy Siegrist, JJ Quinerly, Aziaha James, and Diamond Miller (the primary yield from the Carrington trade) on their rookie deals.
The Dallas Wings broke ground on their new 70,700 sq ft practice facility — featuring two courts, a 3,800 sq ft locker room, player lifestyle suite, content studio, family lounge, mother rooms, 4,000+ sq ft strength space, full dining, and community areas. pic.twitter.com/bkFWJhlQp1
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) September 26, 2025
As mentioned by Miller, the team is set to open a 70,700-square foot practice facility that is set to open before next season and the team has the top odds of landing the top pick at the 2026 draft.
As for Koclanes’ successor, the Wings had one of the more intriguing assistants on their bench, as Nola Henry also wrapped up her own first season in North Texas. Another Curt Miller disciple, Henry also served as the head coach of Rose BC, the inaugural champions of Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart’s Unrivaled. The Wings could also do their due diligence on Brondello and Quinn while another potential Miller-related alum floating is Brandi Poole, who moved to Atlanta from Dallas after Trammell’s departure.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
