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WNBA Fans Criticize Wings Coach for Paige Bueckers Leadership Comment

Dallas Wings coach Chris Koclanes made a comment about his team's leadership that isn't sitting well with fans.
Grant Young|
May 7, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes poses for a photo during the 2025 Dallas Wings Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
May 7, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes poses for a photo during the 2025 Dallas Wings Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers emerged as a leader both on and off the court during the latter half of her college career with the UConn Huskies. And this leadership was a crucial part of UConn winning the 2025 NCAA championship last month.

It seems that Bueckers' leadership has already translated to the Dallas Wings, where she was selected with the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft. This was conveyed by Wings forward NaLyssa Smith, who said during her May 7 Wings media day press conference, "Paige, she has been a great leader so far. No matter that she's younger than us, she's still our point guard."

Wings first-year head coach Chris Koclanes seemed to echo Smith's sentiment when speaking with the media on May 12. When asked about Bueckers' leadership, he said, "I think [Bueckers] is a leader. I think everyone on this team is a leader. And I'm empowering them to lead where they're from and to lead in their own ways," per an X post from Moreau Sports Media Prod Co.

"And I think as Paige gets more and more comfortable with her teammates and finding her voice, she'll become more of a verbal leader. And as of right now, it's a little bit more by example," he continued.

This response — specifically Koclanes saying everyone on the Wings is a leader — isn't sitting well with fans.

"'She is a leader, everyone on this team is a leader'

"If everyone is a leader then no one is. You can have a few leaders. That doesn't mean everyone.

"The whole org is gonna have to get comfortable with Paige being a star (along w Arike) & that doesn't discredit their teammates," one fan wrote in a post that has more likes than Koclanes' initial comment.

Another fan added, "I don’t get how he can say everyone is a leader tho? That doesn’t work…"

"Everyone can’t be a leader.. this man’s democracy gimmick needs to end.. let’s see how the season plays out before I talk further," added a third.

It will be interesting to see how the Wings' leadership, both on the court and on the sidelines, turns out this season.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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