The Dallas Wings have the No. 1 general decide within the upcoming WNBA Draft, and their newly minted Common Supervisor Curt Miller is able to win. The previous head coach now turned full-time entrance workplace govt for the Wings has a number of disgruntled and emotional basketball followers in Dallas to please this summer time after the best way the Mavericks season has gone. However with the untimely departure of 1 generational basketball participant in Luka Doncic, the period of town’s subsequent generational basketball is about to start.
Except one thing groundbreaking occurs between now and Monday, the apparent selection for Dallas will likely be to draft Paige Bueckers first general out of UConn. The previous Freshman of the 12 months, Nationwide Participant of the 12 months, and now Nationwide Champion is a generational expertise who has the power to show the Wings right into a playoff group — instantly. That’s precisely what Miller expressed the need for in a press convention held by the WNBA Thursday as all 4 lottery staff’s basic managers spoke to the media.
“Winners are necessary to us,” Miller mentioned in response to a query on what the Wings have prioritized within the offseason. “By means of our trades we added quite a few collegiate nationwide champions, or at minimal, (gamers who) competed within the Remaining Fours on the collegiate stage. We additionally added WNBA Champions.”
The Wings have been extraordinarily energetic in free company, not shifting their No. 1 general decide however nonetheless with the ability to usher in DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Ty Harris and Myisha Hines-Allen. They may be a part of Arike Ogunbowale, Maddy Siegrist and Teaira McCowan — the gamers the Wings retained from the 2024 season. And Dallas is not going to solely draft first, but additionally have the No. 12 and No. 14 picks as nicely — picks that Miller mentioned might make the opening day roster, which he thinks makes his staff uniquely enticing for rookies.
“You’d need to hear your title for those who’re in [the late first round or early second round range] for Dallas, as a result of there may be completely a reputable probability to make our opening day roster,” he famous, including, “that’s not the case across the league.”
“So we’ve invested a number of time on making ready to select 12 and 14, and we’re enthusiastic about it,” he ended.
That leaves the Dallas Wings with a core of veteran winners, a generational No. 1 general decide, and the prospect so as to add some impactful rookie improvement tasks to their roster. That’s particularly necessary going into subsequent season’s free company, given a lot of the gamers within the league will likely be free brokers. With the CBA expiring after this season, gamers have been positive to barter contracts that additionally expired this season, guaranteeing that once they signal forward of subsequent season, they may accomplish that underneath the phrases of the upcoming, expected-to-be-more-player-friendly CBA.
The one hope groups have of retaining gamers on these present contracts is to draft them now and preserve them into subsequent 12 months. These draft picks might find yourself being the long run cores of sure groups.
However for this season, Miller is aware of eyes will likely be on his group. Not solely regionally from followers hoping to distract themselves from the plight of their NBA staff’s selections in 2025, however Dallas can be ready for nationwide consideration. Anticipate video games to be moved to larger venues and extra media consideration to come back as Bueckers brings her throngs of loyal followers together with her to the group.
That comes with a number of strain to win, which is why Miller mentioned that was the buzzword for his entrance workplace this winter. But, there may be additionally extra strain to ensure gamers are protected as they proceed to realize reputation and fame.
“All of us took discover round our league [the need for] one thing so simple as safety for our gamers and methods to navigate the elevated viewership, the elevated fandom,” Miller mentioned. “Our gamers should be protected and amplified on the similar time, actually taken care of. Our job throughout the league is to create an unbelievable setting for these gamers.”
That’s turn out to be a precedence within the league as there have been a number of situations of gamers needing further safety already. A person plead responsible to stalking fees earlier this 12 months when he traveled cross nation to “give Paige Bueckers an engagement ring” after posting about doing so a number of occasions on social media. He should abide by a protecting order in place till 2064. As a part of his sentence, he isn’t allowed to enter the state of Connecticut or enter any facility the place WNBA video games or practices are held.
Enhanced safety was additionally wanted final season when followers the place attempting to method each Caitlin Clark and Brittney Griner at airports. Quickly after, the WNBA permitted chartered flights for all the league — one thing the gamers had been advocating for over a few years. They cited each security considerations in addition to efficiency considerations after groups repeatedly skilled airline delays and cancellations throughout shortened WNBA seasons.
In order the Dallas Wings attempt to sustain with these different profitable WNBA groups, rising a profitable tradition is being prioritized. They received the nod from the basketball gods in getting that No. 1 decide, and now they’ll attempt to put within the work to take advantage of out of their luck. They’ll additionally need to do a greater job than their NBA counterpart staff of holding their celebrity in Dallas lengthy sufficient to win a championship, however given how far down in hell the Mavs left that bar, Miller needs to be set to clear it.