The 2023 Dallas Wings season was the franchise's 26th season in the Women's National Basketball Association and the 8th season for the franchise in Dallas - after relocating from Tulsa and Detroit. This was the first season under head coach Latricia Trammell.
On September 19, 2022, the Wings announced that they would not renew the contract of head coach Vickie Johnson, effectively firing her. On November 7, 2022, the Wings announced that Trammell would be the new head coach for the organization.
The season began well, with the Wings winning their first two games and finishing 3–1 in the opening month of May. However, their good run of form did not carry over into June as they lost their first two games, before winning their next two. The team then went on a three game losing streak, and only managed to win two of their final four games in the month after the losing streak. The Wings finished June 4–7 overall, and three of those four wins came against Phoenix. The Wings turned things around in July where they won six of their first seven games in the month, including being only the second team to defeat the Las Vegas Aces at the time. They would lose two of their last three games, but finish July with a 7–3 record. August became a mixed bag for the team as they won their first game but then went on a three game losing streak. They followed this with a three game winning streak before losing two of their last three games to finish the month 5–5. After starting September with a win over the Indiana Fever, Dallas secured a playoff spot. After securing this spot, they lost their next two games. However, they won their last two games of the season to finish September 3–2. The Wings finished with an overall regular season record of 22–18. Their 22 regular season wins were a franchise best in Dallas, and best since 2008, when the franchise was still located in Detroit.
With their 22–18 record, Dallas was the fourth seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs. They would face off against the Atlanta Dream in the first round, with the first two games of the series being held in Dallas. In a back-and-forth game one, Dallas had a big fourth quarter and won the game 94–82. Game two began close, but the Wings dominated the second and fourth quarters to win 101–74 to sweep the first round series 2 games to 0. In the second round, the Wings faced off against the first-seeded Las Vegas Aces. The first two games of the five game series were in Las Vegas. Game one started as a tight affair, with Dallas trailing by only four points at halftime, but the Aces dominated the third quarter and won the game 91–84. In game two the Wings trailed for most of the game but mounted a comeback that fell short, losing 84–91. The series then moved to Dallas for a must-win game three for the Wings. Dallas took a five-point lead into halftime, but couldn't hold on in the second half losing 61–64 to end their season.
Transactions
WNBA draft
RoundPickPlayerSchool/Team/CountryNationality 1 3 Maddy Siegrist Villanova 1 5 Lou Lopez Sénéchal / UConn 1 11 Abby Meyers Maryland 2 19 Ashley Joens Iowa State 3 31 Paige Robinson Illinois State
Transactions DateTransaction September 19, 2022 Fired Head Coach Vickie Johnson November 7, 2022 Hired Latricia Trammell as Head Coach November 17, 2022 Hired Brandi Poole as Assistant Coach January 9, 2023 Hired April Schilling and Courtney Paris as Assistant Coaches January 11, 2023 Extended Qualifying Offers to Marina Mabrey and Teaira McCowan January 16, 2023 Traded Kayla Thornton to the New York Liberty in exchange for Natasha Howard and Crystal Dangerfield, as part of a 3-Team Trade. The Wings also traded Tyasha Harris to the Connecticut Sun. January 21, 2023 Traded Allisha Gray to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the #3 Overall Pick in the 2023 WNBA draft and a First-Round Pick in 2025 February 1, 2023 Signed Teaira McCowan to a 3-Year Deal Full Season Contract Suspension of Bella Alarie February 2, 2023 Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a 2-Year Deal Signed Kalani Brown to a Training Camp Contract February 11, 2023 Acquired Diamond DeShields, a 2023 First-Round Pick (from Chicago), a 2024 First-Round Pick (from Chicago), and the right to swap 2025 First-Round Picks (from Chicago) in a 4-Team Trade involving the Chicago Sky, New York Liberty, and Phoenix Mercury February 22, 2023 Exercised the 4th Year Option on Awak Kuier February 28, 2023 Signed Kitija Laksa April 12, 2023 Signed Maddy Siegrist to a Rookie Scale Contract April 13, 2023 Signed Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Abby Meyers to Rookie Scale Contracts April 15, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens to a Rookie Scale Contract May 10, 2023 Suspended the contract of Kitija Laksa for the full season due to Overseas Commitments May 15, 2023 Waived Abby Meyers May 16, 2023 Declined Team Option on Charli Collier May 17, 2023 Waived Kalani Brown and Charli Collier May 30, 2023 Signed Kalani Brown to a Hardship Contract June 2, 2023 Temporarily suspended the contract of Teaira McCowan due to Overseas Commitments June 6, 2023 Signed Odyssey Sims to a Hardship Contract June 15, 2023 Released Odyssey Sims from the Hardship Contract June 20, 2023 Activated Teaira McCowan from her temporary contract suspension due to Overseas Commitments June 28, 2023 Signed Odyssey Sims Waived Jasmine Dickey and Ashley Joens Released Kalani Brown from her Hardship Contract June 29, 2023 Signed Kalani Brown to a Hardship Contract August 6, 2023 Signed Ashley Joens to a 7-Day Contract
Roster Changes
Additions
PersonnelSigned/TradeFormer team Natasha Howard Trade New York Liberty Crystal Dangerfield Trade New York Liberty Diamond DeShields Trade Phoenix Mercury Kalani Brown Free Agency Maccabi Bnot Ashdod Lou Lopez Sénéchal Draft Pick 2023 Draft Pick Maddy Siegrist Draft Pick 2023 Draft Pick Odyssey Sims Free Agency Connecticut Sun
Subtractions PersonnelReasonNew team Kayla Thornton Traded New York Liberty Tyasha Harris Traded Connecticut Sun Allisha Gray Traded Atlanta Dream Isabelle Harrison Free Agency Chicago Sky Marina Mabrey Trade Chicago Sky Charli Collier Waived - Jasmine Dickey Waived -
Roster
Depth Pos.StarterBench PG Crystal Dangerfield Veronica BurtonOdyssey Sims SG Arike Ogunbowale Lou Lopez Sénéchal SF Satou Sabally Diamond DeShields PF Natasha Howard Awak KuierMaddy Siegrist C Teaira McCowan Kalani Brown
Schedule
Preseason
| 1 | May 5 | Chicago | W 75–70 | Teaira McCowan (17) | HowardMcCowan (8) | BurtonDangerfield (4) | College Park Center2,004 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 13 | @ Indiana | L 83–90 | OgunbowaleSabally (18) | Satou Sabally (9) | BurtonHowardMcCowanOgunbowaleSabally (3) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse2,084 | 1–1
Regular season
| 1 | May 20 | Atlanta | W 85–78 | Arike Ogunbowale (27) | Natasha Howard (10) | HowardSabally (3) | College Park Center5,588 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 26 | @ Seattle | W 95–91 | Arike Ogunbowale (26) | Satou Sabally (10) | Arike Ogunbowale (6) | Climate Pledge Arena8,277 | 2–0 |- | 3 | May 28 | @ Chicago | L 88–94 | Arike Ogunbowale (27) | Satou Sabally (8) | Veronica Burton (6) | Wintrust Arena6,042 | 2–1 |- | 4 | May 30 | Minnesota | W 94–89 | Natasha Howard (25) | Satou Sabally (11) | Veronica Burton (9) | College Park Center3,484 | 3–1
| 5 | June 2 | @ Washington | L 74–75 | OgunbowaleSabally (18) | Satou Sabally (14) | Satou Sabally (7) | Entertainment and Sports Arena3,294 | 3–2 |- | 6 | June 4 | @ Connecticut | L 74–80 | Satou Sabally (26) | Satou Sabally (14) | Veronica Burton (7) | Mohegan Sun Arena5,012 | 3–3 |- | 7 | June 7 | Phoenix | W 84–79 | Satou Sabally (24) | Kalani Brown (15) | Odyssey Sims (6) | College Park Center4,242 | 4–3 |- | 8 | June 9 | Phoenix | W 90–77 | Arike Ogunbowale (35) | Satou Sabally (16) | Odyssey Sims (7) | College Park Center6,251 | 5–3 |- | 9 | June 11 | @ New York | L 93–102 | Arike Ogunbowale (25) | Satou Sabally (11) | Odyssey Sims (8) | Barclays Center7,615 | 5–4 |- | 10 | June 14 | Los Angeles | L 61–79 | Kalani Brown (21) | Satou Sabally (13) | BurtonSabally (4) | College Park Center5,807 | 5–5 |- | 11 | June 17 | Seattle | L 103–109 | Arike Ogunbowale (41) | Natasha Howard (10) | Satou Sabally (5) | College Park Center5,020 | 5–6 |- | 12 | June 20 | Atlanta | W 85–73 | Natasha Howard (23) | Kalani Brown (14) | Crystal Dangerfield (5) | College Park Center3,392 | 6–6 |- style="background:#fcc" | 13 | June 23 | @ Los Angeles | L 74–76 | Natasha Howard (23) | Natasha Howard (12) | Arike Ogunbowale (4) | Crypto.com Arena5,766 | 6–7 |- | 14 | June 25 | @ Los Angeles | L 83–93 | Crystal Dangerfield (18) | Teaira McCowan (9) | Arike Ogunbowale (8) | Crypto.com Arena6,380 | 6–8 |- | 15 | June 27 | @ Phoenix | W 77–62 | Arike Ogunbowale (23) | Satou Sabally (12) | Satou Sabally (6) | Footprint Center5,652 | 7–8
| 16 | July 2 | Washington | W 89–72 | Satou Sabally (27) | Satou Sabally (15) | Arike Ogunbowale (5) | College Park Center4,544 | 8–8 |- style="background:#fcc" | 17 | July 5 | @ Las Vegas | L 82–89 | Natasha Howard (32) | Natasha Howard (13) | Arike Ogunbowale (7) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,177 | 8–9 |- | 18 | July 7 | Las Vegas | W 80–78 | Arike Ogunbowale (21) | Teaira McCowan (12) | Crystal Dangerfield (6) | College Park Center6,251 | 9–9 |- | 19 | July 9 | @ Indiana | W 77–76 | Arike Ogunbowale (28) | Natasha Howard (8) | HowardMcCowanSims (5) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse3,612 | 10–9 |- | 20 | July 12 | @ Minnesota | W 107–67 | Natasha Howard (28) | Natasha Howard (14) | Arike Ogunbowale (11) | Target Center13,531 | 11–9 |- | 21 | July 19 | @ New York | W 98–88 | Arike Ogunbowale (25) | Teaira McCowan (12) | DangerfieldSabally (7) | Barclays Center9,012 | 12–9 |- | 22 | July 22 | Los Angeles | W 98–84 | Natasha Howard (28) | HowardSabally (11) | DangerfieldSabally (6) | College Park Center5,041 | 13–9 |- | 23 | July 25 | Connecticut | L 83–88 | Arike Ogunbowale (25) | Teaira McCowan (15) | BurtonHowardOgunbowaleSabally (3) | College Park Center4,222 | 13–10 |- | 24 | July 28 | Washington | W 90–62 | McCowanOgunbowale (18) | Satou Sabally (11) | Satou Sabally (10) | College Park Center4,048 | 14–10 |- | 25 | July 30 | @ Las Vegas | L 91–104 | Teaira McCowan (25) | Teaira McCowan (14) | Arike Ogunbowale (5) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,213 | 14–11
| 26 | August 2 | @ Seattle | W 76–65 | Arike Ogunbowale (27) | Natasha Howard (12) | DangerfieldOgunbowale (4) | Climate Pledge Arena7,421 | 15–11 |- | 27 | August 4 | Chicago | L 89–104 | Natasha Howard (28) | Natasha Howard (12) | Natasha Howard (11) | College Park Center3,762 | 15–12 |- | 28 | August 6 | Chicago | L 96–104 | Satou Sabally (25) | Teaira McCowan (9) | Satou Sabally (8) | College Park Center4,057 | 15–13 |- | 29 | August 8 | Las Vegas | L 84–104 | Satou Sabally (21) | Kalani Brown (7) | Veronica Burton (5) | College Park Center5,193 | 15–14 |- | 30 | August 12 | Connecticut | W 91–81 | Satou Sabally (28) | Satou Sabally (8) | Teaira McCowan (6) | College Park Center4,179 | 16–14 |- | 31 | August 18 | @ Connecticut | W 95–75 | Arike Ogunbowale (30) | Teaira McCowan (11) | Satou Sabally (5) | Mohegan Sun Arena6,584 | 17–14 |- | 32 | August 20 | @ Washington | W 97–84 | Arike Ogunbowale (17) | Teaira McCowan (13) | Satou Sabally (10) | Entertainment and Sports Arena4,200 | 18–14 |- | 33 | August 22 | @ Minnesota | L 86–91 | Satou Sabally (22) | Teaira McCowan (16) | OgunbowaleSabally (7) | Target Center6,921 | 18–15 |- | 34 | August 24 | Minnesota | L 81–90 | Teaira McCowan (23) | Teaira McCowan (18) | BrownDangerfield (4) | College Park Center3,931 | 18–16 |- | 35 | August 27 | @ Phoenix | W 77–74 | Arike Ogunbowale (29) | Awak Kuier (9) | Natasha Howard (3) | Footprint Center12,163 | 19–16
| 36 | September 1 | @ Indiana | W 110–100 | Satou Sabally (40) | BurtonSabally (7) | Veronica Burton (8) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse3,137 | 20–16 |- | 37 | September 3 | Indiana | L 84–97 (OT) | OgunbowaleSabally (22) | Teaira McCowan (10) | Satou Sabally (5) | College Park Center5,058 | 20–17 |- | 38 | September 5 | New York | W 94–93