The Dallas Wings were in a rough spot to end the 2025 season. They tied the Chicago Sky with the worst win record, 10 wins and 34 losses. The Wings were the first team out of the playoffs, resulting in a hard loss for them. They selected Paige Bueckers with their first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. There was no denying that she was a strong player, one who broke the WNBA rookie scoring record in her first year. However, the team needed more than just one star on the roster to find success. So far, to start off the 2026 season, the Wings are already in a better spot than they were in 2025.
Keys To The Dallas Wings’ Success In 2026 WNBA Season
As mentioned above, the Wings only had 10 wins for the entire 2025 season. The 2026 season is just under a quarter of the way through, and the Wings already have 11 wins under their belt. They are currently in sixth place in the overall WNBA rankings, just under the Golden State Valkyries, who have the same record as them at the moment.
It’s great that the Wings are in a better state than they were last season, but what changed?
UConn Connection
For the second season in a row, the Wings received the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Entry Draft. With the first overall selection, they drafted guard Azzi Fudd. Both the rookie Fudd and Bueckers played at the University of Connecticut together, so the mutual chemistry the pair already had has been like magic on the court for Dallas.
Fudd just recorded a career-high 26 points against the Seattle Storm. She played a career-high 42 minutes in the overtime contest as well. Before that, her career-high sat at 24 points, which Fudd recorded on May 24th against the New York Liberty. In total, Fudd has recorded 10 or more points in 11 games, three of which she had 20 or more points.
Bueckers has been on an absolute tear, as well. There was only one game so far this season where she recorded fewer than 10 points. She has been a beast on the court, and her dominating the court with Fudd has been something opponents of the Wings should fear. We’ll see if the pair can keep the momentum rolling as the season continues.
Coaching Staff Changes
After just ten wins for an entire season, it was time for a coaching change. The Wings fired their head coach, Chris Koclanes. This was the first season he was the Wings’ head coach, and clearly, he didn’t do the best job. Just one year in, and already it was time for a replacement.
The Wings hired Jose Fernandez and although he didn’t have prior WNBA coaching experience, he has plenty of head coaching experience regardless. For the past 25 years, he was the head coach of the University of South Florida women’s basketball team. He has major experience coaching women’s basketball, and although he coached at the collegiate level, his experience is clearly translating well to the WNBA.
Already, Fernandez has a much better record than Koclanes did in his first (and only) season with the Wings. Let’s hope Fernandez can keep this up for the Wings.
Shepard Has Been On Fire
This season is Jessica Shepard’s sixth in the WNBA, but her first with the Wings. She previously played for the Minnesota Lynx, and although she contributed to the team, she wasn’t a standout player. Now, Shepard is giving WNBA fans a reason to notice her.
In the Wings’ game on May 28th, Shepard recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. She became the first player in WNBA history to record a triple-double with 20+ points and 20 rebounds. This also marked a career-high points total for Shepard in the WNBA.
Since that game, Shepard has had three more games in which she recorded 20 or more points and six more double-doubles. Shepard has been in the league for a while, but this is the first time she has had a real chance to excel on the court. Shepard might just be Dallas’ secret weapon this season.
Featured Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
