Aug 29, 2025; College Park, Georgia, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) in action against the Atlanta Dream in the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings have one preference in mind for next head coach

Originally posted on Dallas Wings on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 2:45 PM ET

The Dallas Wings recently just made the correct decision to fire head coach Chris Koclanes after a 10-34 season in which he was constantly criticized by fans and the media, players seemed to be confused at a lot of his play calls, and the team didn't succeed despite a superstar in Paige Bueckers and another All-Star in Arike Ogunbowale.

The timing of it was interesting considering it came nearly a month after the season ended, and a report had already surfaced that they were planning to not make any staff changes, and then days later, Koclanes is gone.

So what happened between when that report surfaced, and when the Wings actually made that move? The biggest thing was the New York Liberty firing two-time champion head coach Sandy Brondello. And, according to Jake Fischer, that seems to be the direction that the Wings are headed, as they want someone with experience.

"And that [the want for a coach with experience] 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," Fischer wrote in the latest Stein Line Substack.

Per @JakeLFischer, the Wings are reportedly focused on candidates with head coaching experience. "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."

More: https://t.co/xlQBqVX1y7 pic.twitter.com/ihqTFFdU5C
— DLLS Wings (@DLLS_Wings) October 8, 2025

Brondello was fired despite leading the Liberty to a 27-17 record, but losing in the first round of the playoffs was a disappointment after winning the championship a year ago. Especially when they have players like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart (who was playing through a knee injury).

It did seem a little premature to fire Brondello just a year after winning the championship, but that team had high expectations.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Why Sandy Brondello Could be a Fit With Dallas

Some WNBA fans think Brondello has won two championships almost by accident, but it's hard to win two championships, and even harder to do so a decade apart.

Yes, she has had some good teams with great players; Ionescu, Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Candice Dupree, just to name a few. But she has still led teams to two championships, and the Finals another time. She's had as many Finals appearances as she's had losing seasons in her 13 seasons as a head coach. That's worth taking a chance on for the Wings.

Dallas has had one season over .500 in the last decade and just one playoff series win since they moved to Dallas. With a talent such as Bueckers, it is vital to have as strong a supporting system as possible, and Brondello could be that option.

This article first appeared on Dallas Wings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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