The Wings’ new practice facility has now been delayed an entire year.
The Dallas Wings have gotten incredibly lucky over the past two seasons, securing the No. 1 overall pick two years in a row. In 2025, they selected Paige Bueckers first overall, who was the universally agreed-upon choice for the first pick in her class and is quickly proving to be a leader for the Wings. In 2026, they will draft another game-changer with that first pick, but there is less consensus on who will be the top prospect come April. With choices, the Wings can pick someone who complements Paige and continues to strengthen their roster.
It hasn’t even been that long since Dallas chose No. 1 in the draft most recently before this run of luck. In 2021, they had the same honor, choosing Charli Collier as the No. 1 pick. Yet that was less lucky than it seemed, as five years later, Collier isn’t even on a WNBA roster at the moment. The team waived their No. 1 pick in 2023.
But despite getting the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in 2021 and choosing in the lottery or early in the first round most years, Dallas has not been able to get their team off the ground. They’ve only made the playoffs in 5 of the last 10 seasons, and can’t seem to make themselves a hot free agency destination. Even on the coaching side, the buzz around the league was that the Wings let their 2025 head coach, Chris Koclanes, go in part because Sandy Brondello became available. But whether Dallas was trying to make a big swing for a championship-level coach for Bueckers or not, Brondello ultimately decided to go to the Toronto Tempo instead.
Ultimately, there is a lot going against the Wings as they try to build a championship team, even with their recent lottery luck. And this week’s news is not helping, as the construction of their practice facility and new arena is now delayed at least another year.
That’s probably the biggest factor in attracting free agents to Dallas to play with Bueckers and the eventual 2026 No. 1 pick. The WNBA is now in a situation where the hottest free agency markets are the ones offering the best amenities to their players. It makes sense — it’s wild that some of these WNBA teams don’t have dedicated locker rooms, practice facilities, and treatment centers for their players. It’s no surprise that, given the choice, the league’s best players want to play for teams that have the nicest facilities.
There is also the fact that WNBA markets like Dallas and Los Angeles, who both (infamously) did not have public plans to build state-of-the-art practice facilities until recently, appear to only be doing so because it is likely to become mandatory for teams in the next CBA.
The reality is, Dallas is running out of time to make their franchise a championship-caliber destination. Bueckers is entering her second year as a WNBA player, her second of four seasons she has in her current rookie contract. There are also rumors that the WNBPA is proposing shortening rookie contracts in the new CBA, to give players more freedom and free agents earlier in their careers. If that happens, the time Dallas has to convince Bueckers to make them her long-term team is already slipping away, if that rule ends up applying retroactively to players currently on rookie deals.
The reality is, Bueckers is one of the best players in the WNBA right now, even as a rookie, and will only get better. She can win championships, MVP awards, gold medals, and more during her career. If anyone has the leverage to want to be treated right, it’s her. If Dallas doesn’t want to give her everything she needs and wants as a professional player, any of the league’s other teams will happily do whatever they need to in order to sign her or trade for her.
She’s also just one person, and the Wings need to start attracting the right players to boost their team from fringe playoff/lottery team to contenders. With over 80% of the league heading into free agency once a new CBA is agreed upon, this is a perfect year for Dallas to attract some solid players. Yet, if they can’t offer the same amenities and experience as other markets with state-of-the-art facilities, that’s not going to work.
Time is ticking for Dallas to make the most of the shot they’ve been given, and now they may have one less year to do so.
Category: General Sports
