Since the beginning of the free agency period, one team has not been in the spotlight as much: the Dallas Wings. The Wings did not make the playoffs for the 2020 WNBA βWubbleβ since then the Wings have been looking ahead to the future. After parting ways with former head coach Brian Agler, many Wings fans are wondering what is ahead. With key players such as Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally, and Allisha Gray returning, the Wings have a young team. Letβs take a look at The Future of The Dallas Wings.
New Head Coach
One key for the future of the Dallas Wings is coaching. Luckily for the Wings, a familiar face for the WNBA will be joining the team as their head coach. Vickie Johnson will be joining as head coach which was announced in early December 2020. Johnson previously was the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces and was a crucial piece in their run in the playoffs. Before coaching, she played for both the New York Liberty and San Antonio Silver Stars. After playing she was hired as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Silver Stars before they relocated to Vegas. It is safe to say Vickie Johnson is a familiar face in both the WNBA and the state of Texas. Johnson is a great hire for the Wings and will help strengthen The Future of The Dallas Wings.
πππ ππβπ ππ π πππππ! π―
β Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) December 9, 2020
Join us in welcoming our new head coach, Vickie Johnson! πππ
Letβs #RISE! π pic.twitter.com/9C4btMHq3L
Gray Signs Multi-Year Contract
Yet another key for Dallasβ future will be Allisha Gray. If you do not know her name you should because she is the X-Factor the Wings will continue to need. On Feb. 1st it was announced that the Wings had signed Gray to a multi-year contract. With a young team, Gray is one of the most experienced players with only being in her fourth season. Drafted in 2017, Gray went on to become the Rookie of the Year after an impressive season. This past year during the 2020 season she averaged 13.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 1.2 STL. Gray will bring quiet yet loud energy to this young team. She often goes unnoticed for her talents but is always there to contribute to her team. Allisha is a large part of The Future of The Dallas Wings.
OFFICIAL. π―
β Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) February 1, 2021
Excited to announce that @Graytness_15 is here to stay! π#RISE pic.twitter.com/f0Lw3D7Hio
Acquiring No. 1 Draft Pick
The even bigger news in Dallas is the acquiring of 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick. This trade involved Seattle who acquired the No. 1 draft pick from a deal with New York. The Wings traded forward Katie Lou Samuelson to Seattle to acquire this pick. Not only do the Wings have the first draft pick but also the second draft pick becoming the first team in WNBA history to have both picks. This is the unexpected news that many fans did not see coming.
On top of that, they have the fifth, seventh, and thirteenth picks. Needless to say, this young team is going to become even younger with this draft class coming in. The Wings will need to utilize these picks because these players will be a huge part of what the Wings will be in the years to come. The future is bright in Dallas for sure.
π¨ ππππππππ! π¨
β Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) February 10, 2021
Weβve acquired the π ππππ πππππππ ππππ in the 2021 #WNBA Draft, becoming the first team in league history to own the top-two picks in the same draft. π―
Full Story ‡οΈhttps://t.co/0gZk4NU0oQ pic.twitter.com/AlFpmtCCUq
Make sure to follow my Twitter @aislynjowers for more of my content and follow @beyondwsports. Read my latest article Kayla McBride is Headed to the Midwest. Make sure to keep a lookout for my next article. Be sure to check out Beyond Womenβs Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
Make sure to shop all things WNBA and SoccerΒ merchΒ here.