The Dallas Wings announced Tuesday they were parting ways with head coach Chris Koclanes after one season. Koclanes went 10-34 in his lone year in Dallas.
“On behalf of the Dallas Wings, I want to thank Chris for his many and immediate contributions to the organization this past season,” said Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Curt Miller.
Koclanes came in as a surprising hire for the team, having no WNBA or collegiate head coaching experience and less than 10 years experience as an assistant
with Connecticut, Los Angeles, and the University of South California. His lone season in Dallas had moments of hope, but largely was surrounded by tense press conferences as the team failed to make significant improvements throughout the season.
The team will immediately conduct a search for a new head coach, its third in as many seasons after the team fired Latricia Trammell shortly after the 2024 season. Overall, it will be the team’s sixth coach since the team moved to Dallas in 2015.
“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,” Miller said. “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.”
The new coach will inherit a team that’s been in turmoil since 2023. Dallas made the WNBA semifinals that season, but has won just 19 of its 84 games in the last two seasons. Paige Bueckers, 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year, was the team’s lone All-Star last year and will look to build on that success with a new coach next season.
The team could look quite different next season for this new coach, as they have just five players under contract for next season. Arike Ogunbowale, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Tyisha Harris are all unrestricted free agents.
As Miller said, the team has assets to prepare for its future. Dallas has the best odds — 40% — to obtain the No. 1 overall pick for the second season in a row and will pick no lower than No. 3. That pick will join Bueckers and young star Maddy Siegrist in hopes of building a core for a team that’s making strides in the community. The Wings will play their final season at College Park Center on UT Arlington’s campus in 2026 before moving to the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas in 2027.
