The Dallas Wings’ 1–8 start hasn’t just disappointed—it’s exposed something broken. In their recent 93–79 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, the team let LA shoot 55.6% from the field and gave up 50 points in the paint, a sign of both structural and effort-related defensive failures. It was their fourth straight game allowing 90+ points—opponents are now averaging 88.9 per game against them. But beyond the box score, the unraveling was visible. During a brutal third-quarter stretch, confusion reigned: Teaira McCowan shouted in frustration after being left alone on a switch; NaLyssa Smith froze on help defense, giving up an uncontested layup; and Ogunbowale threw her hands up at Carrington following yet another misread offensive set. The body language told the real story—this wasn’t just poor execution; it was a team falling out of sync.

The breakdowns aren’t isolated either. Just days earlier, against Seattle, the Wings squandered a 17-point lead in the final quarter, surrendering 32 points in 10 minutes. The team had no answers—and no adjustments. Postgame, Carrington said it came down to “a lack of communication.” But on the bench, the emotional contrast was sharp: players like J. Quinerly and Teaira Geiselsöder were animated and engaged, while the starters looked distant, even defeated. There’s no floor general to anchor the chaos, and no one stepping up to reset the tone mid-game.

These patterns—repeated collapses, miscommunications, and disconnected rotations—have created more than just losses. They’ve created uncertainty. The kind that leaks into the locker room and clouds leadership. And that’s what Head Coach Chris Koclanes finally confronted. Speaking after the Sparks loss, he didn’t mince words.

“Just trying to figure it out, and it seems like we can’t get everyone on the same page… it hurts when you don’t have a Paige or a Ty Harris… now you’re asking DiJonai to play point guard… but tonight she struggled… we will continue to fight and believe, and we will turn the tide,” he said.

With Paige Bueckers sidelined due to a concussion, the Dallas Wings have turned to DiJonai Carrington to fill the void at point guard. While Carrington has shown scoring prowess, leading the team with 16 points in the recent loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, her transition to the playmaking role has been challenging. She committed seven turnovers in that game, highlighting the team’s struggles with ball control and offensive cohesion in the absence of a true point guard. Veteran guard Arike Ogunbowale acknowledged the difficulties, stating, “It’s tough not having a point guard. Obviously, we’ve been without a true point guard for the last two games. So hopefully we’re gonna get Paige back, and we get a little bit of rhythm.”

All in all, these issues have contributed to the team’s current 1-8 record, placing them near the bottom of the league standings. Head Coach Chris Koclanes has not just emphasized the need for better communication and effort,  but also issued a warning to the active players who do not perform well. 

Dallas Wings HC issues a warning for players

The starting lineup is just falling short for the Wings. Take seventh-year veteran and last year’s leading scorer, Arike Ogunbowale, for example; she went 0-for-3 from the field early on and ended the game with just eight points on 4-of-10 shooting. But she wasn’t alone. NaLyssa Smith finished with zero points and only two rebounds in seven minutes of play, while Allen and Siegrist contributed just four points each.

Together, the starting unit could only manage a combined 32 points, far from what the team needed. The coach is making an observation there. “We have depth, we should not be afraid to play it… everybody can contribute and be given opportunities. If we’re not consistent in our details… there are players on the bench who are going to go out there,” the coach shared.

And that depth showed up in a big way. The bench unit poured in 47 of the team’s 79 total points, that’s 60% of the Wings’ offensive production. Leading the charge was J. Quinerly, who scored 14 points in just 16 minutes while shooting an efficient 5-of-10 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free throw line. But she wasn’t the only standout.

Teaira Geiselsöder also impressed, posting a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes of action. “[Geiselsöder], one, [brings] a consistent energy and effort,” coach Koclanes noted. Well, no doubt, given more time, she could become an even more impactful player. So yes, the Wings clearly have depth. But is that enough to secure wins? While it didn’t translate into a victory against the Sparks, it could very well become a turning point in the games to come.