The 2026 season starts with a clean slate, as every team will be at the same level with their new-look rosters and game plans, looking to topple opponents and gain a slight edge in the game. Every team will have a definite strategy for the championship run, and as for the Dallas Wings, the play starts and ends at Paige Bueckers.
The Wings certainly have one of the top five starting lineups in the 2026 season, with the former UConn star getting one of her teammates back in the lineup and the Defensive Player of the Year to guard the paint region. Former WNBA coach and now the Wings’ GM, Curt Miller, simplifies the decisions at the front office.
Curt Miller Breaks Down Rotation Policy Around Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, And Arike Ogunbowale
The Wings tried to support their 2025 first overall pick with a forward line-up, making them effective on both ends of the floor. In 2026, the franchise chose to give its wingers and guards more depth for smooth flow and control of the game.
Miller spoke about using Fudd and Ogwumike alongside Bueckers as key rotational pieces, and about adding Allana Smith and Jessica Shepard to the possible starting lineup.
Coach Fernandez spent time with Buecker and Fudd, and both stars impressed the veteran coach, who calls them coachable players. Mentioning that the 2025 Rookie of the Year winner does everything right on the court, he named her the leader on the court for the side. Bueckers also compared Coach Fernandez with Geno Auriemma for his dedication and attention to detail.
The only issue the Dallas franchise had in the 2025 season was its depth, which it addressed in 2026 by adding a number of strong players who would not only fill in for starters but also take pressure off the star players.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Odyssey Sims To Ease Pressure Off Paige Bueckers And Co.
The Wings are now a much different roster from start to end, and the second unit contains a guard who played a huge role in the Fever’s recent success – Odyssey Sims. Coach Miller once again highlighted the purpose of adding a veteran guard to lead the second unit and take pressure off PB.
Breaking: 2014 No. 2 overall pick Odyssey Sims has agreed to a one-year deal to join the Dallas Wings, her agent, Harrison Gaines, Esq. of SLASH Sports, tells ESPN.
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 15, 2026
Sims returns to Dallas after most recently appearing for them in 2024. She was a crucial pickup for the Fever last… pic.twitter.com/RLMahz9SVS
The 2025 rookie had to clock more minutes on the floor to make the offense work in the 2025 season, but now with Fudd and Sims, the side can use Bueckers more effectively. Miller added, “We need to get Paige off the ball at times, it’s hard to be picked up full court and still carry a scoring load. Odyssey allows us to do that, but you need a point guard to facilitate that.”
There is a specific direction to the Wings’ plan in the 2026 season with a guard-driven franchise looking to challenge the elites of the league.