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The 2025 WNBA season has been anything but quiet for the Dallas Wings, with off-court drama making as many headlines as the action on the hardwood. From objects being thrown onto the court to organized fan campaigns against head coaches, the outside noise is beginning to spill over and affect the players themselves.
This summer, frustration among some Wings fans has zeroed in on first-year head coach Chris Koclanes. As the team navigates a rebuilding season under his leadership, a vocal portion of the fanbase has launched the “We Want Nola” campaign, a call for assistant coach Nola Henry to take the helm. Henry gained significant attention earlier this year after leading Rose Basketball Club to an Unrivaled Championship and has quickly become a fan favorite in Dallas.
The campaign has been hard to miss. At recent Wings games, groups of fans have worn “We Want Nola” t-shirts, chanted the phrase during play, and even gathered by the tunnel to repeat it as Koclanes exited the court.
Currently sitting at 8-24 and in 12th place in the WNBA standings, the Wings have embraced a rebuilding strategy. Ahead of the trade deadline, the front office moved NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington in exchange for younger players and future draft picks, a clear signal that long-term growth was the priority this year. But the team’s direction hasn’t stopped some supporters from voicing their displeasure with Koclanes’ coaching.
On Friday night, veteran forward Myisha Hines-Allen stepped up to address the issue directly. In a video posted to social media, she urged Dallas Wings fans to stop the chants and put away the protest shirts, emphasizing that the players need their supporters behind them in both good times and bad.
Hines-Allen’s plea was as much about protecting team chemistry as it was about defending the coach. Public protests, she suggested, don’t change decisions made by the front office; they only create a negative atmosphere during games. “When it feels like the fans are against us, it’s harder to build that connection,” was the underlying message of her appeal.
General manager Curt Miller has also not indicated that a coaching change is on the horizon. Miller has worked with Koclanes for years, mentoring him from his early days as a video coordinator to his current role as head coach. It’s unlikely he would dismiss Koclanes midseason, particularly in a rebuilding year.
Despite the record, the Dallas Wings have bright spots to point to. With the No. 1 overall pick in the last draft, they selected Paige Bueckers, who has lived up to the hype. The rookie guard is averaging 18.6 points and 5.4 assists per game, earning two Rookie of the Month honors. While the Wings have struggled with scoring droughts and closing out games, the experience gained this year could pay off when the team adds another high draft pick next season.
Hines-Allen’s comments also highlight the emotional toll the situation is taking on the locker room. It’s one thing for players to have internal disagreements or frustrations with a coach; it’s another when the feeling that the fans are against them begins to seep into the team’s day-to-day environment. As one of the few seasoned veterans on the roster, Hines-Allen has taken it upon herself to shield younger players from those distractions.
Whether her message changes the behavior of the “We Want Nola” crowd remains to be seen. But with the Dallas Wings focused on developing their core and building for the future, the hope from within the organization is that the noise can quiet down enough for the players to concentrate on basketball, and for the fans to rally behind them, win or lose.
