Wings, Coach Vickie Johnson Parting Ways After Two Seasons

The Wings announced Monday the club has parted ways with head coach Vickie Johnson after electing not to pick up the team option in her contract.

Johnson, 50, spent the past two seasons at the helm after joining Dallas in Dec. 2020 following a 10-year stint with the San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces. Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb shared the news in a press release wishing Johnson well in her future endeavors.

“While our organization has taken steps forward this season, at this time I believe a change provides our team with the best opportunity to achieve our long-term goals of advancing in the playoffs and ultimately competing for a WNBA Championship,” Bibb said.

Johnson departs Dallas with a 32–36 record in two seasons and a 1–3 playoff record.

The 2022 season was the most successful of Johnson’s brief tenure as the Wings finished the year 18–18, their first season with at least .500 record since ’15, and made the postseason. The finish marked a four-game improvement from the previous year, which ended in a loss to the Sky, the 2021 WNBA champions, in a first-round single-elimination game.

Dallas went on to earn the franchise’s first playoff win since 2009, defeating the Sun on Aug. 21. Connecticut, the eventual ’22 WNBA Finals runner-up, ended up winning the series, 2–1.

A two-time All-Star during her 13 WNBA seasons with the Stars and Liberty, Johnson went into coaching in 2011 after retiring in ’09. She worked six years as a Stars assistant and served as head coach in ’17, and spent another three seasons with the club after its move to Las Vegas in ’18 to work under former coach Bill Laimbeer.