Fans Rip Chris Koclanes After His Paige Bueckers ROTY Take Ignites Sonia Citron Debate

It all began the day Chris Koclanes got the job. The hire raised eyebrows right out of the gate, and not just from fans on Twitter. When Sheryl Swoopes herself bluntly asked, “It’s one thing to be buddies, to be friends, to be whatever, and I get it… but this is about wins and losses,” the subtext was clear. She hinted at the fact that Koclanes didn’t land the role purely on merit. Her point was that Wings GM Curt Miller and Koclanes go way back, and to her, that old-boys’ network vibe overshadowed what the team and Paige Bueckers truly needed.

They needed someone with championship stripes. She even floated Lisa Leslie’s name, lamenting, “It’s a mind-boggling thought to me. I really wish I knew why [the teams that rejected Leslie] said no.” From there, the rookie head coach spent his debut season under a microscope. Criticism came so fast and so often that Wings players themselves had to step in and shield him. After a tough loss to New York, forward Myisha Hines-Allen all but requested, “We need the fans to support us. At the end of the day, Chris is still our head coach. We still need him.”

And yet, if Koclanes is losing sleep, it doesn’t show. On day one, he openly embraced Miller’s mentorship: “I’m excited about it. … To have him there as a thought partner is fantastic. He’s going to do everything he can to help me and support me.”  That loyalty is exactly why fans are side-eyeing his most recent soundbite. Asked about Rookie of the Year chatter, Koclanes didn’t hesitate: “I mean, it’s just clear. She (Paige Bueckers) is Rookie of the Year. There’s no question. She just is. I’m at a loss for words because she’s just an incredible talent on and off the floor. She’s our leader, and she makes everybody around her better.”

Does that sound genuine? Maybe. But with Dallas slipping further in the standings and the crowd chanting “We want Nola Henry!” louder by the game, the timing felt more like PR than pure conviction. Fans are already whispering: Is this really Coach Koclanes talking… or the front office feeding him the lines? Let’s dive into it…

Paige Bueckers’ Coach Under Fire

It all kicked off under an X post that boldly declared: “She is Rookie of the Year. There’s no question.” But fans weren’t exactly buying it as straight coach-speak. To them, it sounded more like franchise spin, with replies rolling in like, “Oh the pressure is fierce,” and, “Oh yeah they’re sweatin! LMAO.”

And let’s be honest, the pressure is truly real. The Wings secured the #1 pick, yet they stumbled out of the gate at 1–11, and only managed to claw their way back to 6–13 before finally sitting at 9-27. When you’re under that kind of heat, it makes sense the team wants to plant the flag early: the Rookie of the Year award is theirs. History seems to back that narrative, too. Look at the past 15 years: 10 of the last 15 Rookie of the Year winners were #1 overall picks. That’s a 66.7% hit rate, and on paper, it tilts in Paige Bueckers’ favor.

But here’s the catch: this year’s coronation might not be unanimous, or guaranteed at all. Because another rookie is storming the league, and she’s got her own claim to the crown. We’re talking about Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron. The fans are rallying behind her with comments like “If Sonia Citron were the star player coming out of UConn and had the marketing that a certain Dallas player has, she would receive more credit for the great rookie season she is having.” and “It is a question 😂 because it’s as close as the MVP one is. Soni is right there”

She is the same player her Notre Dame coach, Niele Ivey, once anointed: “To be the queen that she is… It’s almost like she’s been forced into the fire, and she’s handled herself so well. She’s basically doing whatever we need.” The fans feel it too, and right now, Citron is playing like a queen who’s ready to snatch the throne. Here’s the proof:

That’s 6 out of 12 categories where Sonia Citron edges out Paige Bueckers. It is a clean 50%, and it’s exactly those numbers that fuel fan pushback to Coach Koclanes’ bold declaration. As one comment put it: “No question 🤔 He’s making it like Paige is so much better than Sonia Citron 🤦‍♂️.”

But here’s the twist, Sonia Citron might not even be the only rookie giving Paige Bueckers a run for her crown. Fans have started pointing toward another breakout star: the #4 pick, Kiki Iriafen, who just so happens to line up right behind her #3 Mystics teammate Citron in the draft order. As one fan spelled it out: “She’s not the best rookie by enough to call it. Sonia and Kiki both having stellar seasons.”

So, one thing is clear: as one fan put it, “there absolutely is question.” Whether Chris Koclanes’ “no question” stance was a genuine belief in Paige or just a pressured PR push from the franchise, we won’t really know… at least not until the Rookie of the Year trophy is officially handed out. Until then, stay tuned, and let us know: who’s your ROTY?