The Dallas Wings have had a miserable start to their 2025 WNBA season. Despite acquiring Paige Bueckers as their No. 1 overall pick during the WNBA Draft, the Wings have continued to suffer, falling to a league-worst 1-7 record.
Their latest outing against the Seattle Storm, this time with Bueckers sidelined with a concussion, ended in an 83-77 loss.
Most games have been narrow losses, the Wings unable to convert their momentum into a win. Head coach Chris Koclanes, however, continues to have confidence in his team.
Dallas Wings HC Chris Koclanes Hopeful Despite Team’s Plunging Record
Koclanes, who has previously worked with the Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun as their defensive coordinator, has been at the receiving end of fan fury in 2025. Many fail to see any hope for the team, demanding a better coach for stars like Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and DiJonai Carrington.
Koclanes, in his postgame interview after the loss in Seattle, chose to see the positive, as he said:
Chris Koclanes on Seattle’s comeback vs. Dallas
“They just came out with a different energy about them. They were extremely efficient in that second half…I liked our defensive intensity, I thought we did a lot of good things.”
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) June 4, 2025
Chris Koclanes on Dallas Wings rebounding
“We talked about crashing consistently on the offense end, and defensively gang rebounding. Our effort to the glass was fantastic….we got enough shots on the rim to win that game. More will go in the future and we’ll be alright.”
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) June 4, 2025
DiJonai Carrington Focuses on Positives After Leading Team With 22 Points
Like Coach Koclanes, DiJonai Carrington had some positives to focus on. Though they lost, the team is getting along well, hopefully leading to more consistent play on the court.
DiJonai Carrington on postive takeaways from Dallas Wings
“Each game, we’re getting more comfortable playing together, I think you can see that with less and less turnovers…the other positive is we had 20 OBoards…we were still crashing the boards hard.”
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) June 4, 2025
Carrington, averaging 11.7 PPG this season, led the team with 22 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Despite a stellar performance, the Wings failed to keep momentum. Maintaining a lead well into the final quarter, Storm overtook 63-61 after Gabby Williams sank a much-needed three-pointer with around six minutes left in regulation.
While Wings tried to make a comeback, they continued to trail while the Storm doubled down on their lead.
The Wings’ only win is against the Sun, where Bueckers led with 21 points and seven assists.
Despite Koclanes’ positive approach, many fans remain skeptical of his coaching style. Some believe that Bueckers’ potential needs to be amplified, and the team should work on closing out games more effectively.
The star rookie will be re-evaluated after Tuesday’s game, hopefully ready to return before their June 6 Game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
