The Dallas Wings have endured a difficult season to say the least. With just one game remaining on their regular season schedule, Dallas holds a league-worst 9-34 record. Between injuries and underperformance, the 2025 campaign has been challenging for this Wings squad. Many fans — and some media members — have been quick to blame head coach Chris Koclanes for the team's struggles. However, is moving on from Koclanes truly the solution?
Koclanes is on the verge of completing his first season as a head coach in the WNBA. Regarded as a defensive-minded coach, the results have yet to display themselves on that end of the floor. The Wings' 109.4 defensive rating is the worst mark in the entire WNBA.
At times, the defense has simply seemed out of sorts. The team often plays hard, but the chemistry on the floor isn't always there.
From an offensive standpoint, the chemistry has also been a concern. Paige Bueckers has been terrific — she is the front-runner to win the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award — but the Wings' plethora of injuries have led to various different lineups and rotations. Koclanes addressed Dallas' turnover concerns in their recent 91-77 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
“I think some were self-inflicted, trying to force a little in transition, trying to force some into the post… Little bit of a combo of both, I thought a bunch were self-inflicted, but then credit to LA for their continued pressure,” Koclanes told reporters.
The team's overall underperformance has been difficult to ignore, but it is not fair to place all of the blame on Koclanes.
Koclanes has endured ups and downs, but he's not completely to blame
Does Koclanes deserve a respectable amount of the blame? Yes, but the fact of the matter is that he often was unable to run the same lineup on a consistent basis due to injuries and trades.
The Wings began the season with players such as Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith in the lineup alongside Paige Bueckers. Ogunbowale has been out since August with an injury, however, while Carrington and Smith are now on different teams following trades.
Additionally, Li Yueru, Luisa Geiselsoder and Tyasha Harris are among the other players who were previously ruled out for the remainder of the '25 campaign due to injuries. The result? Many seven-day contracts and even an extreme hardship contract.
There isn't a single coach in the WNBA or any sport who is able to be on top of their game in those kinds of circumstances. That is especially true for a coach who spent last season as an assistant at USC.
Koclanes was hoping to be able to coach with a fairly consistent rotation. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but Dallas' injury concerns have been especially difficult to navigate.
Why Wings should NOT fire Koclanes after the 2025 season
I get it. Fans are frustrated. However, the Wings moved on from Latricia Trammell following the '24 campaign. Firing head coaches in back-to-back seasons is never a great look.
It would be one thing if the Wings failed to find success while having other stars remain in the lineup alongside Bueckers. However, with the injury concerns impossible to ignore, giving Koclanes and the current coaching staff one more chance makes sense.
If the Wings start slow once again in 2026 and it becomes clear that Koclanes isn't the right fit, then there will be a difficult discussion to be had. For the purpose of clarity, I'm not saying the Wings should ignore Koclanes' difficulties as a head coach if they continue into next season. The point I'm making is that Koclanes should be given one more chance to prove he can get the job done in Dallas.
Perhaps a healthier 2026 campaign will lead to more success for the head coach with the Wings.
