The Dallas Wings tied with the Chicago Sky for the worst record in the league (10-34), ending their season early.
This left the team with no chance of qualifying for the playoffs and began planning for 2026. As a result, coach Chris Koclanes and the team parted ways, and the name of a two-time WNBA champion coach began to be mentioned.
Wings could have a new leader
Dallas added former UConn star Paige Bueckers after selecting her with the first overall pick in the draft, which was considered one of the team’s few strengths.
The 23-year-old point guard was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and All-Star and was a huge help to the team, averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 36 games with the Wings.
However, constant losses led to Koclanes being fired after his first season at the helm of the Wings. There are several options to fill his position, but one has caught the attention: Sandy Brondello.
The New York Liberty decided not to renew the 57-year-old coach’s contract for the 2026 season, just one year after she led them to the 2024 WNBA championship.
During this season under her leadership, the team made the playoffs but fell in the first round to the current finalist, the Phoenix Mercury, on September 19.
But, given her impressive track record and experience, there are several signs that Paige Bueckers and her teammates could be under Brondello’s leadership, according to Jake Fischer of Stein Line:
“And that has led various league sources to point to [Sandy] Brondello as a contender to be the next head coach for Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers,” wrote Fischer.
Brondello left Liberty with a 107-53 record in four seasons, reaching the 2023 Finals and winning the team’s first championship in 2024. She currently ranks sixth on the WNBA’s all-time wins list and has 13 years of experience.
Considering that Curt Miller, executive vice president and general manager of the Wings, stated that “a change in leadership at this time was best for our organization” and that Dallas “remains dedicated to their pursuit of WNBA Championships and building upon the strong culture established on and off the court,” it would not be wrong to think that Brondello could be the one they are looking for.
However, there is no official confirmation that Sandy will be the new coach in Dallas, and the search for a new coach continues.
Read the full article here
