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Sheryl Swoopes Doesn’t Hold Back on Paige Bueckers’ Coach After Nine Defeats

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 12:54 PM ET

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes didn't mince words when assessing the Dallas Wings' 1-9 start to the 2025 season. Despite losing important players such as Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown and Jaelyn Brown, they went out and brought in new players to reshape their roster and help Arike Ogunbowale.

Besides making several trades that ended with other solid players, such as DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith, joining the team, they also won the draft lottery, which resulted in Paige Bueckers being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft.

Their Big Three of Ogunbowale, Bueckers and Carrington made fans dream about this team's potential, but after 10 games, the Wings have only won one game while looking completely lost on the court in the majority of their games.

During an appearance on "The Women's Hoops Show" on Tuesday, Swoopes talked about the poor performances from the Wings and the Chicago Sky. The legend was dumbfounded that the Texan team couldn't get more than one win so far, laying the blame on two people for this situation: head coach Chris Koclane and general manager Curt Miller.

"So I am not going to put all of the blame on Chris. No," she said. "Because Curt Miller, this is your hire. I mean, if the GM goes to someone and says, ‘hey, will you come be my head coach,’ if I really want to coach, I’m not going to say no.”

“Yes, Chris has got to take a lot of the ownership. But so does Curt.”

Koclanes had prior experience as an assistant coach at USC, but this was his first chance at coaching at the top level. Swoopes believes that this opportunity wasn't earned, but given, suggesting that his friendship with Miller landed him the job.

“It’s one thing to be buddies, to be friends, to be whatever, and I get it, trying to look out for your homeboy, your homegirl. But this is about wins and losses.”

The Wings came off a 9-31 season, which prompted the firing of Latricia Trammell after two campaigns. The 2025 season is still young, and the Indiana Fever showed last year that a 1-9 record can be turned around.

They return to action tonight against the Phoenix Mercury, with Bueckers off the injury report after suffering a concussion. Koclanes' performance is raising eyebrows, and if something doesn't change, the season could end in another disaster.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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