Paige Bueckers, a former UConn star guard, national champion, and the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, was central to the optimism surrounding the Dallas Wings’ 2025 season. But things did not take off as planned.
Amid Bueckers’ early concussion, the trade of NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington, and a struggling frontcourt throughout the season, the Wings ended with a devastating 10-34 run.
Their offseason got much more interesting when they let go of coach Chris Koclanes after just one year. Tied with the Chicago Sky for the worst record in the WNBA, the Wings are now looking for their third coach in five years.
If anyone has the authority to speak on what kind of coaching Bueckers needs, it’s her UConn head coach, Geno Auriemma.
What Is Geno Auriemma’s Opinion on Paige Bueckers’ Next Dallas Wings Coach?
At the Big East Media Day, Auriemma was asked if he had any opinion on what kind of coach Paige Bueckers needs and what type of coach the Dallas Wings should hire next.
“I told Paige this the other day: A great player can play for any coach,” Auriemma said. “Now, if they get a coach that doesn’t believe in and doesn’t have a collaboration with Paige, then that would be a difficult journey.”
He added, “I think there are a lot of coaches out there that would be really, really good for her, and she’d be good for them. But it has got to be someone where there’s mutual trust.”
Auriemma continued the advice he gave Bueckers regarding hiring Wings’ new coach. “Embrace what the pool is, talk to all of them–whoever they are–and it’s like recruiting. Recruiting the person you want, that has the qualities that [you want].”
He emphasized that the roster surrounding Bueckers would be more critical for her performance in future seasons, but the importance of a good coach cannot be ignored.
Auriemma’s Advice to Chris Koclanes After Dallas Wings Drafted Bueckers
Despite Wings’ underwhelming performance, Bueckers managed to bag the WNBA Rookie of the Year honors and break Candace Parker’s single-game scoring record (40 points) by a rookie by scoring 44 against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Earlier in April, Auriemma passed on some advice to Koclanes on how to coach Bueckers right after the 2025 WNBA Draft.
“Pretend that everything is okay,” he joked on the post-draft ESPN broadcast panel. “Be ready for her to challenge you, and you should challenge her. She’s going to be a risk-taker, and you’re going to have to live with some of the risks. Because most times, they actually pay off. At the end of the day, just keep in mind that she wants to win just as much as you do.”
That insight sums up the unique balance required to coach a player like Bueckers, who thrives on creativity as well as structure. It also shows how closely Auriemma continues to understand his former student-athlete.