WNBA Head Coaches 2025 | One and Done | Chris Koclanes

When the Dallas Wings handed Chris Koclanes the keys to their franchise, they thought they were getting a defensive mastermind — a decade-long WNBA assistant ready for his big break. What they got was an overmatched rookie coach running their season straight into the ground.

This was supposed to be a year of promise in Dallas. With the number one pick, Paige Bueckers, joining an already talented roster, playoff expectations were the bare minimum. Instead, Koclanes has steered the Wings to a pathetic 8–19 record, good for dead last in the Western Conference. His much-hyped defensive schemes have been exposed as pure fiction, with opponents lighting up Dallas for 86 points per game while shooting nearly 40% from three.

The real tragedy is watching Koclanes waste generational talent. Bueckers, the most hyped rookie since Caitlin Clark, is being run into the ground playing 35 minutes a night on a team going nowhere. Meanwhile, Koclanes makes baffling rotation decisions like benching dominant center Li Yueru in favor of small-ball experiments that get destroyed on the glass. When pressed for explanations, he offers nothing but empty platitudes about “vibes” and “not knowing from night to night.”

What makes this collapse especially embarrassing is that Koclanes inherited a playoff-caliber roster. Veterans like Arike Ogunbowale and Ty Harris have looked completely lost in his system. Even the team’s chemistry — something Koclanes constantly praises — has been called into question by his own players. After getting outcoached by fellow rookie Tyler Marsh (another speculated One and Done) and his previously winless Sky team, it’s clear Koclanes is in way over his head.

The excuses keep coming — injuries, lineup changes, bad breaks. But the truth is simpler: Chris Koclanes isn’t cut out for this job. With the Wings hemorrhaging attendance and credibility, the only question is whether Dallas pulls the plug before the season ends or drags this failed experiment into next year. One thing’s certain — if the Wings keep Koclanes around much longer, they risk wasting Bueckers’ prime and alienating what’s left of their fanbase.