New Wings Coach Conveys What Captures His Attention About ‘Dynamic’ Paige Bueckers

On December 23, the Dallas Wings announced the hiring of Chris Koclanes as their franchise’s next head coach.

Koclanes previously served as an assistant coach for the USC Trojans women’s basketball team for two seasons before joining Dallas. During his time at USC, Koclanes witnessed Paige Bueckers’ performance against JuJu Watkins and the Trojans on December 21, a game in which the Trojans claimed a 72-70 victory over UConn in a thrilling matchup.

Bueckers showcased her skills by scoring 22 points on 9 of 22 shooting, including 2 of 8 from beyond the arc. This outstanding performance, along with her overall college career, left a lasting impression on Koclanes, who praised Bueckers during his appearance on In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams on January 7.

Koclanes commended Bueckers for her dynamic game, efficiency in scoring, versatile skills, and projected her as a top talent in the 2025 WNBA Draft class.

The possibility of Koclanes coaching Bueckers instead of competing against her could soon become a reality in the women’s basketball world.