With just 13 days remaining until the official start of the WNBA season, I’ll be counting down with a daily mini preview of each of the league’s 13 teams. Stay tuned as we break down what to watch, who to watch, and what to expect from every squad.

Table of Contents

• Training Camp and Preseason Reminder

• #WINGSUP

• Hoops & Hype: Media Picks

  • Film Session: WBB Highlights & Insights 📽️

  • Booked & Busy: WBB Reads 👓

  • Drip Report 💧

Training Camp and Preseason Reminder

Teams are inviting a ton of players to training camp to battle it out for roster spots. Each team can bring in up to 18 players, so expect to see a lot of additions over the next few days.

To stay updated on who’s in and out of camp, check out Across the Timeline and the WNBA Transaction page.

DC

#WINGSUP

Coming off a 9–31 season, the Dallas Wings were in desperate need of a reset. That began with the firing of head coach Latricia Trammell (a truly lovely woman) and the hiring of former Sparks and Suns coach Curt Miller as General Manager. This hire is a huge deal for Dallas. Much like the Cowboys and the Mavs, the Wings have long suffered under an owner who insists on making every decision despite clearly not knowing what he's doing. Greg Bibb stepping back and handing over the reins signals that he finally recognizes he needs help turning this organization around.

One thing to know about Curt Miller: he brings his people with him. So it’s no surprise that he hired his longtime assistant coach of eight years, Chris Koclanes ( Coach Ponytail) as the new head coach, and brought on Nola Henry to continue in her role as assistant coach. You might also remember Nola as the head coach of Rose BC, where she led the team to win the inaugural Unrivaled Championship.

With the coaching staff in place, Curt got to work building the team around Arike Ogunbowale and the presumed (and eventual) No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers. The first major move came when Satou Sabally requested a trade out of Dallas. In return, Curt managed to bring in a few of his Connecticut favorites—DiJonai Carrington and Ty Harris—along with Nalyssa Smith from Indiana. It's an interesting mix of players, but I'm excited to see how they mesh on the court.

When it comes to rookies, Dallas did extremely well—no surprise there. With the No. 1 overall pick, they landed reigning NCAA Champion Paige Bueckers. They also picked up Aziaha James (NC State), Madison Scott (Ole Miss), and JJ Quinerly (West Virginia). In addition to Paige, I’m really hoping Aziaha and Madison make the final roster. Aziaha was balling out in the recent preseason game, so I’d fully expect to see her suit up this season.

Overall, this revamped roster and new leadership make the future look much brighter for Dallas than it did just a year ago. Here’s hoping all these changes finally pay off. (And once again, thank you, Greg Bibb, for getting tf out of the way.)

What to Look Out For:  

• Teaira McCowan is one of the best bigs in the league... but she sure doesn’t always play like it. Honestly, she plays like basketball is a burden—her face and body language say it all, lmfao. But when she does turn it on? She’s damn near unstoppable. With Kalani Brown no longer backing her up, this is her moment to prove she can be a dominant force in the league.

• Maddy Siegrist has been improving year after year. She competed in Athletes Unlimited and was crowned the AU Pro Basketball Champion. She’s a scorer, a top-tier defender, and has a high basketball IQ. Personally, I think she absolutely deserves the starting spot over NaLyssa Smith. Last year, a broken finger kept her sidelined and limited her chance to shine—but this year? I think Maddy is ready to break out and establish herself as a top player in the league.

• NaLyssa Smith had a rough year in Indiana last season. With the arrival of Caitlin Clark, the former No. 1 pick suddenly looked like an awkward fit for the Fever’s new direction. On top of that, her girlfriend, DiJonai Carrington, became a target for racist fans, adding even more off-court pressure. Now, with a fresh start in her home state of Texas, NaLyssa has a real chance to reset. Can she prove the haters wrong? I hope so.

• Arike and Paige: Can this duo actually work? We know Arike as a ball-dominant guard—someone who can take over a game when her team needs her most. But with an elite point guard like Paige Bueckers coming in, the big question is: can she elevate Arike’s game, or will the team expect Paige to take control and shift the ball out of Arike’s hands? It’s a dynamic that could either be electric or tricky.

Question Marks

• Is Arike truly the Dallas Wings’ franchise player?

• Will Teaira McCowan finally play up to her potential?

• Can Maddy Siegrist earn her first All-Star nod?

• Is this a playoff team?

• Will Paige Bueckers take home Rookie of the Year?

CAP SPACE: $378,303

Free Agency and Roster Updates

The Coaches

Hoops & Hype: Media Picks

Check out some of the cool podcasts, videos, reads, and fashion I saw this week.

@espnw

#Dallas Wings GM Curt Miller's reaction to getting the No. 1 pick in the #WNBA draft will always be priceless 🙌 (via @Dallas Wings) #basketball #wbb

I need to clarify the lore of the TikTok above. Curt isn’t jumping and screaming because the Wings got the #1 pick (a.k.a. Paige Bueckers). He’s celebrating because after being fired from the LA Sparks following just one season, the Sparks were hoping for the #1 pick, and ended up with the #2. This is pure, sweet revenge caught on camera. See the tweet below lol

@espnw

Aziaha James steal ➡️ assist 💪 #WNBA #ajawilson #wings #rookie

Film Session: WBB Highlights & Insights 📽️

Booked & Busy: WBB Reads 👓

Drip Report 💧