Trammell, a defensive-minded coach, has been on the coaching hot seat in recent years. She was a candidate for the Phoenix Mercury position before Vanessa Nygaard was hired last offseason.
Trammell’s first two seasons with the Sparks (2019-20) saw them finish third in defensive rating and second in 2021. Candace Parker was named Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in 2020, with Trammell as an assistant and guard. The following campaign, Brittney Sykes finished second in the award voting.
Trammell began her WNBA career as an assistant with the San Antonio Stars in 2017. (now the Las Vegas Aces). She was the head coach at Oklahoma City University from 2014 to 2015, where she won two NAIA Division I national championships. The team went 85-10 in three seasons. She was also the head coach at Colorado’s Division II Western State University.
Dallas wishes to proceed.
The Wings have accumulated young talent in recent draughts, but have struggled to put all of the pieces together for a consistent showing throughout the season. With an 18-18 record, they earned the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and lost to the runner-up Sun in an elimination Game 3 in the first round. While they’ve risen above the annual lottery pick finish, they’ll need to take the next step to join the elite group of title contenders.
In 2022, the team improved offensively (ranking fourth), but they were unable to overcome their ninth-ranked defence. Injuries and a lack of availability also hampered their campaign. Due to overseas commitments and in-season injuries, Satou Sabally, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draught, started only six of 36 games. Arike Ogunbowale, one of the players at the supermax starting in 2023, was also sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing core surgery.
The Wings have four starters under contract for the 2023 season and the second-lowest amount of cap space available, trailing only the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces. Both starter Marina Mabrey, whose 13.6 ppg and 3.7 apg ranked second and first, and Teaira McCowan, who emerged as a late x-factor in the starting lineup, are free agents. Free agency begins on January 1.
