Yahoo Sports Dallas Wings hire USC assistant Chris Koclanes as new head coach
Koclanes replaces Latricia Trammell, who was fired in October.
The Dallas Wings have hired Chris Koclanes as the franchise's newest coach, the team announced Monday.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris Koclanes as the new head coach of the Dallas Wings,” said general manager Curt Miller in a statement. “Throughout our extensive search and interview process, Chris continued to rise to the top and check the boxes of our important pillars. He is a servant leader who places a high value on connection, collaboration, and a positive and consistent communication style with all those he coaches. Chris is a fantastic teacher of the game and has an outstanding basketball IQ. He is committed to player development and has a forward thinking and innovative mind for the game. He is a tireless worker with a foundation built through preparation.
“In addition to his proven on-court skill, Chris possesses values that align perfectly with the Dallas Wings, including a shared focus on positively impacting the community and developing our players off the court. There are so many incredible things on the horizon for this franchise, including a new arena, a state-of-the-art practice facility and the opportunity to select No. 1 overall in the upcoming WNBA Draft, and we are confident Chris is the right person to lead this team into a new era of Dallas Wings basketball.”
Koclanes, who was in his second season as an assistant coach with the USC women's team, is replacing Latricia Trammell, who was fired in October after two seasons in charge.
The Wings did not qualify for the WNBA playoffs last season, ending their three-year streak of postseason basketball, and currently own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Prior to joining USC, Koclanes worked in various capacities with the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks under Miller, who was hired by the Wings in November. He began as a video coordinator and then transitioned to defensive coordinator for the Sun, who reached the WNBA semifinals every season between 2019-22 and played in two Finals.
Koclanes held on to the defensive coordinator title when he moved to the Sparks with Miller in 2023 and helped the team finish in the top four in defensive rating. The Wings have failed to finish higher than eighth in that category since 2016, which includes a last-place finish in 2024.
Koclanes will have likely No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, four-time All-Star and leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale and leading rebounder Teaira McCowan as main pieces to work with next season. Satou Sabally, who was second in scoring last season on the Wings, can be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
