It was baptism by fire for Paige Bueckers at her WNBA debut as the Dallas Wings succumbed to the Las Vegas Aces’ defense in their first preseason game. In the first quarter, Bueckers had her realization that she was playing in the most difficult league in the world as she connected on a left-handed floater from 5 feet and then fell hard to the baseline. It was a message that even if she had all the hype in the world and the national title, it was not going to be that easy for her to just arrive and dominate in the big leagues. “It’s super surreal in terms of the turnaround from where I was two weeks ago to where I am today,” Bueckers said after the game. At the college level, she was the apex predator; there was absolutely no one better than her. But is it safe to put the entire onus on the new entrant?

She eventually found her rhythm, finishing the night with 10 points, including a pair of smooth three-pointers, and grabbed four rebounds in her 23 minutes on the floor. Shooting 4-of-7, she showed flashes of potential, but they were overshadowed by the Dallas Wings’ crushing 112-78 loss to the reigning champs, the Las Vegas Aces. Still, questions linger. Was this just a rough start, or is she being misused in a system that doesn’t play to her strengths? Fingers are already pointing at first-time head coach Chris Koclanes, whose strategy, or lack thereof, has come under fire after the preseason drubbing that some fear may be a warning sign of a long, turbulent season ahead.

The concerns aren’t coming out of nowhere. The Wings are emerging from a dismal 9-31 season, finishing second-to-last in the league standings. In response, the front office made a bold move by parting ways with Latricia Trammell and handing the reins to Koclanes—an unproven name in the WNBA head coaching ranks. And now, with the eyes of the basketball world locked onto them thanks to the addition of No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers, expectations have skyrocketed. Every rotation, every play, every loss is now under a magnifying glass—and after such an embarrassing blowout, the microscope has turned directly on the man in charge.

What was intended to be a fresh start for the Dallas Wings is quickly unraveling into something that feels all too familiar. With the addition of Paige Bueckers, a once-in-a-generation talent, expectations for the franchise soared, placing immense pressure on first-time head coach Chris Koclanes to deliver results from the outset. However, after a demoralizing preseason blowout and questionable on-court decisions, concerns about his leadership are mounting. The conversation is shifting from hopeful potential to urgent uncertainty—can this team be steered in the right direction before it’s too late? The message is clear: the bar has been raised, and this time, the fans aren’t waiting around.

Fans outraged after Paige Bueckers’ start with heavy preseason loss

The fans of any team are reactionary, but the Wings fans are even more so now, and they have reasons for it. Their recent years haven’t been on par with their standards set by their rich history. Back in its days as the Detroit Shock, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when they won three WNBA championships in 2003, 2006, and 2008 under Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer. Winning was in their blood.

The fans haven’t forgotten that and have to contend with a team that has reached one semifinal in the last 17 years. That one semifinal came under their former coach, Latricia Trummel, in 2023, whom they fired after one disappointing season. So, being the successor of their one decent coach is not easy, as the fans expect even more from Koclanes. And after that, drubbing from the Aces, they are not very happy.

One X user wrote, “Dallas wings a**. Paige gotta realize she a rookie but she the best player on the team n the coach looking trash.” We can’t yet make a fair comparison on whether Bueckers will arrive in the WNBA with the same intensity as in college. She definitely can do so, but she might take some time to adapt and make the league her own. Arike Ogunbowale was the lone shining light in their disappointing 2024 season, averaging 22.2 points per game and being pretty decent on defense, too.

“I can’t believe the Aces are this big of haters, like no I’m so mad. No one stands a chance if they stay healthy, I was trynna leave the aces base this year but Dallas is just too ass I’m sorry P. Imma support you but wings need a new coach asap, never liking New York smh,” Another fan wrote. The Aces are just too good; they reached the semifinals last year and had A’Ja Wilson dominating like prime Messi. They were cruising in this game and even rested their best players in the final few minutes to add some salt to the injury. Part of it was their skill; part of it was that the Wings are still in the process of building a team. After this whooping, there are bound to be fans like these who want what’s best for their favorite player. And that is okay.

“This coach for the Dallas Wings may be gone after 10 games,” a frustrated individual expressed. That is a decent rope for a fan to give, as many are just calling for his sack right now, with no official game played yet. If the Wings lose by a decent amount of points for 10 games, then we might have some serious conversations on Koclanes. This season is of utmost importance for the Wings as it sets the tone for how their next superstar will build into the WNBA, so quick action could be what’s needed in the future.

“They should never had hired that dude anyway. Curt Miller protege,” another X user wrote. Curt Miller and Chris Koclanes spent years together coaching in Connecticut with the Sun. Miller was hired as the Dallas Wings’ new general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations in November 2024 and appointed his ex-assistant coach as the head coach of the Wings in December last year. Miler’s reputation among fans is a little mixed; some believe him to be a respectable coach, while some believe his type of basketball is ‘outdated’ and they were not a fan of his rotations. Since Koclanes is heavily inspired by him, many fans already have him in a negative light.

Wings have played just one game with their new coach and roster, and despite negative reactions from fans, Koclanes still has plenty of time to imprint his ways on this team. With Paige Bueckers just improving with every game, it will become easier as time goes on. “We have that example (of Clark’s first season) to learn from already, and I think we’re prepared,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said after the game. And the fans will hope he knows how to use their ace so that she can show her magic just like Caitlin Clark did in her first season.