“The pieces that they have…there should be no way they should 1-9!” That’s what Sheryl Swoopes had to say about the Dallas Wings’ current position. She’s not wrong. Remember the hope, the new era, the shiny backcourt we all got hyped about when Paige Bueckers arrived? Well, none of that is happening. Not even close. This was supposed to be the year things turned around after last season’s rock bottom. But ten games in, the Wings are still stuck searching for any kind of progress – be it chemistry, a frontcourt rotation that clicks, or just a win that doesn’t feel like pulling teeth.

So naturally, everyone’s asking the same thing: what’s going on? If you ask the internet – and now even WNBA royalty – the onus is falling squarely on one person: their new head coach, Chris Koclanes. Now here’s something we know…over the last nine seasons, the Dallas Wings have only made the playoffs five times. Even worse, four of those ended in a quick first-round exit. So no one was expecting them to suddenly become title contenders this year. But 1-9 is the worst record in the league, and that wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card either.

It’s gotten bad enough that Sheryl Swoopes is out here openly questioning the coaching. By now, it’s pretty obvious that Koclanes has been catching heat from fans since the season tipped off. His lineups, his rotations, his schemes… nothing’s working. It’s not just what people are seeing in the box score. It’s the in-game stuff too. In multiple moments, he’s been practically invisible while assistant coach Nola Henry takes the lead on the sidelines. 

On Sunday, fans straight-up saw Arike yelling at Koclanes to sub in DiJonai Carrington. So, the big question is, was this hire just a giant misstep? Well, Swoopes had some thoughts on that, and she did not hold back. On the podcast The Women’s Hoops Show, she said, “So I am not going to put all of the blame on Chris. No. 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.”

She continued, “Yes, Chris has got to take a lot of the ownership. But so does Curt.” Now let’s rewind for a second. Koclanes has been around as an assistant at USC and later served as a defensive coordinator in the W. But he’s never led a pro team. Not even as the lead assistant. So why was he chosen? According to Swoopes, this might’ve been a little more about friendship than it was about qualifications.

“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.” She might be onto something. See, Koclanes and Miller go way back. Their coaching journey together started in 2016, when Miller brought him onto the Connecticut Sun staff as a video coordinator. By 2019, Koclanes was promoted to defensive coordinator. Then he followed Miller to L.A. in 2023, and now that Miller’s the GM in Dallas, he brought him in again…this time as head coach.

But was he the best option out there? Well, Swoopes and fans don’t think so. Rumors say that Lisa Leslie was also in the mix for the Dallas job. And she even confirmed that she had put her name in for two WNBA jobs but didn’t get picked. Swoopes said, “Rumor is one of those was Dallas. I have no idea what jobs they are because I haven’t talked to her about it. But when you have someone like Lisa Leslie, I don’t know why you said no, but you said no.”

And she made her case pretty clear. “Maybe you’ve been an assistant coach for 20 years. That doesn’t necessarily mean you will be a better coach than I would be or than Lisa would be or someone who did the things that she did. That one is such a mind-boggling thought to me.” She strongly believes players need someone who’s walked in their shoes. Someone who gets it. Who knows what it’s like to be out there on the court, carrying the weight of a franchise? And that makes sense as we have examples like Dawn Staley, Becky Hammon, Stephanie White, and more.

Back in Dallas, things must change as Swoopes put it, “They [Dallas] 100% have talent. So when you see the talent, I immediately go to ‘What is the problem?” Because on paper, this squad looks legit. Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Teaira McCowan. That should be a problem for opponents, not for themselves. But it’s just not translating to wins (for now).

Even Leslie herself recently expressed concern about what’s going down in Dallas.

Lisa Leslie breaks down what’s really holding Dallas Wings back

After leading UConn to an NCAA championship in April, Paige Bueckers came to Dallas as the first overall pick. Since making her pro debut last month, the 23-year-old has already shown flashes of why she’s so highly regarded. But a concussion sidelined her for the past four games, stalling the momentum of her rookie campaign. 

And with Dallas stumbling to a 1-9 start, questions are being raised. On her podcast “Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie,” Lisa Leslie shared concerns about the Wings’ slow start and pointed to the lack of team chemistry. “I’m a little worried about Dallas. And I guess I should just say, one, it takes time to build chemistry,” Leslie said. “And you don’t only have one new rookie who came in Paige Bueckers, right? You have Paige Bueckers. You also have NaLyssa Smith. You also have DiJonai Carrington. Like, I feel like that’s a lot of different personalities and pieces and a new coach.”

Leslie noted that building trust and connection takes time, especially when a team resets with so many new faces and a first-year head coach. She reflected on how rebuilding takes a toll, noting that each reset can feel like a step back because teams need time to build trust and understanding.

And even with all of Bueckers’ accolades, Leslie also raised the question whether she’s ready to lead. “Paige is a winner, right? She’s won at every level,” the former said. “But she’s a rookie. Can she actually huddle the team and have a voice to lead as a rookie?” Historically, it’s rare for a WNBA rookie to lift a struggling team from day one. 

Caitlin Clark’s splashy debut may be fresh in fans’ minds, but Bueckers’ journey might need more time. She’s shown steady production, but learning how to mesh with teammates mid-season is a challenge, especially for a point guard. While PB is about to return in the next game, Wings need more than this to turn things around.