For eight seasons, Chris Koclanes served as an assistant coach under Curt Miller, both with the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks. Now, he’s the first head coach Miller has hired in his tenure as general manager of the Dallas Wings.
To assume the head job with the Wings, Koclanes will depart the bench of the USC Trojans, where he has been an assistant coach to head coach Lindsay Gottlieb since the beginning of last season.
A defensive strategist with a strong player development track record, Koclanes will be expected to help the Wings, the WNBA’s worst defense in 2024, return to the playoffs. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, expected to be UConn’s Paige Bueckers, certainly should help Koclanes right the ship in Dallas.
Very familiar with Koclanes’ basketball mind, Miller offered effusive praise for his new hire, saying:
We are thrilled to welcome Chris Koclanes as the new head coach of the Dallas. Throughout our extensive search and interview process, Chris continued to rise to the top and check the boxes of our important pillars. He is a servant leader who places a high value on connection, collaboration, and a positive and consistent communication style with all those he coaches. Chris is a fantastic teacher of the game and has an outstanding…
