How Curt Miller Landed Paige & Built a Player-First Culture

Curt Miller this offseason put together a master class of how to construct a WNBA roster.

The former WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year in 2017, and two-time WNBA Coach of the Year (2017, 2021) has put together a clinic this offseason.

Miller this season has been wheeling and dealing.

The Dallas Wings didn’t just make moves—they made history. Pulling off the biggest trade the league has ever seen, Dallas linked up with Connecticut, Phoenix, and Indiana to bring in dogs like DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, and NaLyssa Smith.

Then came the draft. Paige Bueckers went No. 1 overall—no surprise there—and the Wings weren’t done. They doubled down on talent with Aziaha James at No. 12 and Madison Scott at No. 14, adding two more high-motor hoopers to the mix.

Just when it felt like they were done, Dallas went out and signed Myisha Hines-Allen fresh off a WNBA Finals run. Yeah…they’re not playing around.

The long term vision in Dallas was to built a championship organization. The first signing was by Greg Bibb, getting Curt Miller to run the show. This was a behind-the-scenes master plan to make Dallas a premier destination. A place where the best players not only want to come, but want to stay.

“We were trying to create a player-first environment and attract future players to come and stay in Dallas,” Miller said. “We’ve accomplished a lot of our goals… we feel like we’ve accomplished a great deal already with people. That people look around and say ‘we would enjoy playing with that group.’”

Additionally, generational talent Bueckers didn’t fall into Dallas’ lap. She was scouted, dreamed about, tracked, pitched to, and ultimately chosen and the feeling was mutual.

To understand how one of the most coveted prospects in recent women’s basketball history ended up in a Wings jersey, you have to start with the architect behind it all: Curt Miller.

The Wings didn’t just win the draft lottery—they won on alignment.

Culture Before Stars

Years ago, Dallas began investing in something deeper than wins and losses. They began investing in people.

This Wings group wasn’t built around flash. It was built on structure, values, and sustainability. While other franchises chased headlines, Dallas chased harmony.

Dallas had options. They could’ve gone the easy route: splashy hires, social media blitzes, and hype-driven rollouts. Instead, they opted for something quieter—and far more powerful.

Miller’s focus wasn’t on landing a star. It was on creating an ecosystem where stars could thrive.

He’s built a system that can support stars without needing to be saved by them. A system that values sustainability over stardom. Culture over clout.

“It all started with people and strong character in the locker room…the competition that’s going to start from Day 1 will be incredible for the Wings…can’t wait to support the coaching staff on the style of play…the exciting belief that there’s so much unselfishness now in the locker room…when we say foundational, there’s still no limits on what this group can do.”

Turning to Paige

And that system? It worked.

Paige chose Dallas because Dallas chose to do things differently.

Great franchises don’t rely on one player to define them—they bring in players who elevate what’s already built.

Paige Bueckers didn’t walk into a rebuild. She walked into a foundation.

“Just being a part of a new family, a new city… Dallas is a great sports city… to be a part of something and build… really excited… just investing all of ourselves into Dallas.”

He wasn’t just recruiting Paige Bueckers. He was building a franchise that deserved her.

“we have great respect for Paige’s representation. We appreciated the message from the beginning. I am very very close with Coach Geno… we knew that everything was trending positively.”

That closeness with Geno Auriemma, Bueckers’ college coach, gave Dallas a strategic edge. But it wasn’t about sweet-talking Paige. It was about crafting a situation so solid, so intentional, that Paige wanted in.

She didn’t come looking to be the face of a franchise in need. She came looking for a team she could help grow with.

“You don’t want to take anything for granted… to stay motivated to work. Just excited for whatever the future held. First pick, last pick, didn’t matter to me… super excited for the future.”

When the No. 1 pick talks like she was taken 20th, that’s not luck. That’s culture. That’s buy-in. That’s Dallas.

The pairing of Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale has the league buzzing, and rightfully so. But Paige isn’t here to just put up numbers.

“She’s a bucket getter, can score at all three levels… Looking to assist her a lot… build the excitement of a new system… just a lot of new. Just excited to build with everyone.”

This isn’t just chemistry—it’s vision. Paige sees herself as a connector, not a savior. As a facilitator, not just a scorer.

That mindset doesn’t happen by accident. That’s cultural architecture. And Curt Miller’s been laying those bricks for years.

The Blueprint Is in Dallas

Miller’s already proven himself in the league. But Dallas? Dallas is about more than accolades. It’s about legacy.

The Wings are no longer a team with potential. They are the model.

“We’ve accomplished a great deal already… people look around and say ‘we would enjoy playing with that group.’”

That’s not PR. That’s proof. And if this is just the beginning?

The rest of the league better start taking notes.

Dallas didn’t land Paige by chance.

They did it by design.