The Dallas Wings have gotten extremely fortunate over the previous two seasons, securing the No. 1 general decide two years in a row. In 2025, they chose Paige Bueckers first general, who was the universally agreed-upon selection for the primary decide in her class and is rapidly proving to be a pacesetter for the Wings. In 2026, they may draft one other game-changer with that first decide, however there may be much less consensus on who would be the prime prospect come April. With selections, the Wings can decide somebody who enhances Paige and continues to strengthen their roster.
It hasn’t even been that lengthy since Dallas selected No. 1 within the draft most lately earlier than this run of luck. In 2021, that they had the identical honor, selecting Charli Collier because the No. 1 decide. But that was much less fortunate than it appeared, as 5 years later, Collier isn’t even on a WNBA roster in the mean time. The staff waived their No. 1 decide in 2023.
However regardless of getting the No. 1 and No. 2 general picks in 2021 and selecting within the lottery or early within the first spherical most years, Dallas has not been capable of get their staff off the bottom. They’ve solely made the playoffs in 5 of the final 10 seasons, and might’t appear to make themselves a sizzling free company vacation spot. Even on the teaching facet, the excitement across the league was that the Wings let their 2025 head coach, Chris Koclanes, go partly as a result of Sandy Brondello turned obtainable. However whether or not Dallas was making an attempt to make an enormous swing for a championship-level coach for Bueckers or not, Brondello in the end determined to go to the Toronto Tempo as a substitute.
In the end, there’s a lot going in opposition to the Wings as they attempt to construct a championship staff, even with their current lottery luck. And this week’s information shouldn’t be serving to, as the development of their observe facility and new enviornment is now delayed not less than one other yr.
That’s in all probability the largest consider attracting free brokers to Dallas to play with Bueckers and the eventual 2026 No. 1 decide. The WNBA is now in a scenario the place the most popular free company markets are those providing the very best facilities to their gamers. It is sensible — it’s wild that a few of these WNBA groups don’t have devoted locker rooms, observe services, and remedy facilities for his or her gamers. It’s no shock that, given the selection, the league’s finest gamers need to play for groups which have the nicest services.
There may be additionally the truth that WNBA markets like Dallas and Los Angeles, who each (infamously) didn’t have public plans to construct state-of-the-art observe services till lately, seem to solely be doing so as a result of it’s prone to grow to be necessary for groups within the subsequent CBA.
The truth is, Dallas is operating out of time to make their franchise a championship-caliber vacation spot. Bueckers is getting into her second yr as a WNBA participant, her second of 4 seasons she has in her present rookie contract. There are additionally rumors that the WNBPA is proposing shortening rookie contracts within the new CBA, to offer gamers extra freedom and free brokers earlier of their careers. If that occurs, the time Dallas has to persuade Bueckers to make them her long-term staff is already slipping away, if that rule finally ends up making use of retroactively to gamers presently on rookie offers.
The truth is, Bueckers is without doubt one of the finest gamers within the WNBA proper now, at the same time as a rookie, and can solely get higher. She will be able to win championships, MVP awards, gold medals, and extra throughout her profession. If anybody has the leverage to need to be handled proper, it’s her. If Dallas doesn’t need to give her every little thing she wants and needs as knowledgeable participant, any of the league’s different groups will fortunately do no matter they should in an effort to signal her or commerce for her.
She’s additionally only one particular person, and the Wings want to begin attracting the appropriate gamers to spice up their staff from fringe playoff/lottery staff to contenders. With over 80% of the league heading into free company as soon as a brand new CBA is agreed upon, it is a good yr for Dallas to draw some stable gamers. But, if they will’t provide the identical facilities and expertise as different markets with state-of-the-art services, that’s not going to work.
Time is ticking for Dallas to benefit from the shot they’ve been given, and now they could have one much less yr to take action.
