Paige Bueckers Message for Dallas Wings After Golden State Valkyries Loss Saves Chris Koclanes and Curt Miller

The Dallas Wings just showed everyone what not to do in the final quarter. They entered the fourth quarter with a score of 62-58 while also leading for the majority of the game. The taste of their tenth season win was close, thanks to the 27 points from Paige Bueckers. The result? They hit rock bottom again. Another defeat, this time an 84-80 heartbreak against the Golden State Valkyries, that pushed their record to a brutal 9-33. Fans erupted online, demanding the end of the Chris Koclanes–Curt Miller era.

To be fair, this was not the 2025 season Curt Miller envisioned when he assumed the front office last year. “He’s the chef, I’d love to help with the ingredients so he can cook with these players,” Miller had said when hiring Chris Koclanes. Fast forward, and the way things unraveled on the court had fans chanting “We Want Nola” from the sidelines while blasting Miller for nepotism. The lone bright spot for the Wings was, has been, and continues to be, Bueckers. And even when the public outcry is deafening, the rookie delivered a message that cut through the noise.

After the loss to the Golden State Valkyries, Bueckers stressed her loyalty to the Dallas Wings. “It’s really all about the team and all about the organization and how much they’ve embraced who I am and what I am as a basketball player, but also what I am as a human. And that’s why I chose basketball, because it was a team sport and because I got to share the floor with people that I love and people that I want to go to war with. So, however many points, if it was zero, if it was 15, it was 20, whatever that looks like, I’m just happy to be out there with the team, to be able to celebrate that together,” she said.

For Bueckers, this is about more than just basketball. The Wings have stood by her fully, respecting not only her on-court brilliance but also who she is off the floor. To their credit, the Wings managed Bueckers really well this season after she missed multiple games due to concussion protocol and illness. A standout gesture came when the franchise flew out her partner, Azzi Fudd, to join her during All-Star Weekend. “The Dallas Wings flew me out,” Fudd revealed, capturing just how personal the team’s support has been.

As Miller himself put it, “I think her [Bueckers] greatest gift is that she makes everyone better around her. She’s a humble superstar.” It’s that acceptance and trust that Bueckers is now reciprocating. No way to sugarcoat it, though – the results are ugly. But Paige Bueckers has made it clear: she’s riding with this organization. And she wants their fans to ride along with them for a little longer, too, despite the skid this season.

“I remember Steph Curry, before the Warriors became the Warriors, like, he tweeted out, ‘Just stick with us… We’re gonna figure it out.’ That’s the message,” said Bueckers after the Atlanta loss. At a time when fans want Miller and Koclanes gone, their rookie has given them the clean slate to keep building. Interestingly, the support has come from the other side of the court as well.

Valkyries HC gives Chris Koclanes his flowers after defeating Paige Bueckers & co.

The Valkyries-Wings game result showed two sides of the same coin. With this win, the GSV made it to the playoffs in their debut year as a team. And with this loss, the Wings failed yet again after surmounting a sizable lead. The Dallas failing to hold on to the lead stings further when Wings’ head coach has built his reputation as a defensive coach. Before assuming the responsibilities of Wings, Koclanes was the defensive coordinator for the Connecticut Sun (2019-22) and the LA Sparks (2023) under Curt Miller.

But it was the holes in Wings’ defense that cost them their game against Valkyries. Wings fans were not happy because he failed to utilize Bueckers well. However, it was the Valkyries’ head coach, Natalie Nakase, who defended her opponents. “This was a team that had nothing to lose, but they’re a better team than they were last week. They were faster, they’re stronger… they’re literally trying out. And they’re young, … and Chris did a great job. He did an amazing job keeping their energy in; they could have quit a long time ago. Just credit to Dallas coaching staff and the players.”

While the 2025 season for the Dallas Wings wraps up after their two remaining games, they can look up to the next season with a new crop of players joining the roster. The real challenge for the Wings’ head coach and Paige Bueckers will be to move on from the abysmal record of their debut seasons and build a legacy for themselves.