Why the Dallas Wings Will Make the Playoffs in 2025!!

The offseason has been kind to the Dallas Wings. Some of the biggest moves they’ve made include securing the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2025 WNBA Draft. Additionally, the Wings made serious roster upgrades through trades. Notable players they brought in include DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith.

Here are three reasons why they could be a strong playoff contender this year:

1. Talented Roster Additions

The Dallas Wings have acquired a lot of players who could help their team. Newly appointed general manager Curt Miller decided to give this team a makeover. Miller targeted key players through trades, including DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, and NaLyssa Smith. These players bring an assortment of different talents to the fold. Harris and Smith provide a variety of scoring options.

Smith has been a double-figure scorer in each of her three seasons in the WNBA. Last year in Indiana, Smith scored a career low in points. That can be a bit deceiving, though, as she shot the ball less than nine times a game (a career low) and played under 25 minutes (also a career low). The positive was that when she got the ball, she was very effective. Smith posted a career high in field goal percentage, shooting 48%.

Over the last two seasons in Connecticut, Harris shot the basketball incredibly. She spaced the floor because from the three-point line, she averaged 41%. In her reunion back to Dallas (she was previously drafted by the organization 7th in 2020), Harris will be relied upon to shoot the ball and help space the floor.

Additionally, Miller also decided to bring in the best guard defender in the WNBA, DiJonai Carrington. As one of the worst defensive teams in the league, Carrington, from day one, will help instantly change that. Carrington has the ability on the perimeter to guard anyone. Also, she averaged a career high in points en route to winning the Most Improved Player of the Year.

2. Top Draft Pick

This season might have been a rough one for Dallas, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The Wings’ struggles turned into a blessing for their organization, as they hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. There’s a strong possibility (more like a certainty) that their selection will be UConn star Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers is considered the best guard prospect in the upcoming draft. She has also been heralded as one of the most exciting prospects in recent years. The addition of someone like Bueckers, who is a highly efficient guard, is a scary thought. The league should have some level of concern because a backcourt featuring Bueckers alongside All-WNBA guard Arike Ogunbowale could be lethal.

From the minute Bueckers lands in Arlington, she will take a lot of pressure off Ogunbowale. Though Arike has become a better facilitator, Bueckers would allow her to focus on what she does best—scoring the basketball. Also, Arike will thrive with a more talented backcourt, benefiting from better spacing and an easier time creating shots.

3. New Coaching Staff

The Wings made a tough decision to let their former head coach, Latricia Trammell, go this offseason. This came as a bit of a surprise because, in 2023, the Wings finished 22-18 (.550), secured second place in the West, and made it to the WNBA Semifinals. However, in 2024, they significantly regressed due to a slew of injuries to key players such as Satou Sabally, Natasha Howard, Jaelyn Brown, and Maddy Siegrist. The team finished 9-31 (.225) and missed the playoffs entirely.

Due to that, the Wings decided to fly in a different direction by hiring first-year head coach Chris Koclanes.

A longtime assistant coach with organizations such as the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Connecticut Sun, Koclanes is a highly regarded defensive-minded tactician. He also has a proven track record of success in player development. Although this is his first head coaching job, Koclanes brings more than a decade of experience as an assistant coach in the WNBA and Division I women’s basketball.

Closing Thoughts

With the additions of new players, new coaches and a No. 1 pick the Wings have a chance to make the playoffs. The question is what record will they need to have in order to get there.