Wings leaning toward 2-time champion for next coach, are they missing obvious choice?

Sandy Brondello seems to be the frontrunner to be the next coach of the Dallas Wings. But is the better choice staring them in the face?

Aug 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) in action during the game between the Dallas Wings and the Indiana Fever at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It has been reported that the Dallas Wings are leaning in the direction of hiring Sandy Brondello as the next head coach of the franchise, which has been met with mostly positive but ultimately mixed reviews. The timing of everything that the Wings have done would seem to back that decision up, as well, as they didn't fire Chris Koclanes until after Brondello had been fired.

That decision to fire Koclanes came just days after a report surfaced that the Wings weren't planning to make any coaching changes. The math is mathing, but is that the best decision for the Wings to get the most out of Paige Bueckers, who is already a superstar after her first season?

On paper, that answer would be "yes." Brondello has won two championships as a head coach, those coming a decade apart, one with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and the other with the New York Liberty in 2024. Just one season removed from that second championship, she was removed from her post in New York.

Brondello is also a former player, playing from 1998 to 2003 before transitioning to coaching, and has been at the helm to be the head coach for a lot of the game's greatest players: Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and many more. And with how much respect and admiration that Bueckers has for Taurasi, having her former coach would probably be really interesting.

However, Brondello has been criticized for not really using a playbook and over-relying on her stars, especially this season. Does that matter if she can lead the Wings to a winning record just the second time since they moved to Dallas? And are the Wings overlooking any candidates?

Aug 8, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello during the game between the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

READ MORE: Major change could help Dallas Wings win WNBA Finals

Making the Case for Nola Henry

The Dallas Wings may have already had the answer on the bench in assistant coach Nola Henry, who some fans started clamoring for near the end of the season. And it's understandable why fans wanted to see her get a chance.

Henry has risen the coaching ranks quickly and was the head coach of Rose BC in the Unrivaled League last season, the league's inaugural. She only went on to win the championship, nothing crazy.

There are definitely differences in Unrivaled and the WNBA, as Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 league, but it's impressive nonetheless. She'll likely get a chance before too long, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if she were successful right away.

READ MORE: Dallas Wings have one preference in mind for next head coach

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