Next season presents an incredible chance for the Wings to demonstrate a significant point.
Drafting and retaining top-tier young talent has proven to be quite a challenge for the Wings organization. Since 2019, this team has made fifteen first-round selections in the draft. However, only five of those players managed to secure a spot on the roster for the 2025 season. The others have either moved on, been waived by the Wings and found new opportunities elsewhere, or are no longer competing in the league.
The upcoming season—which many fans hope will commence soon—represents an opportunity for the Wings to show that at least one of their previously disappointing top picks can still succeed, proving that their ability to nurture young players toward promising careers is intact despite their past draft shortcomings. One player to watch is Awak Kuier, who hasn't played in the WNBA since 2023 but is still just 24 years old and is enjoying an impressive season with Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring Istanbul. General Manager Curt Miller appears eager to bring her back to Dallas sooner rather than later.
Kuier was selected second overall by the Wings in 2021, but her performance has not matched the expectations typically associated with such a high draft position; she averaged merely 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds over her first 86 games. Having debuted in 2021 while still quite young and relatively inexperienced, she now stands poised to make a more substantial impact if she returns to the WNBA when the next season begins, potentially validating the Wings’ decision to draft her so highly.
The Wings have encountered some challenges during the draft process. Since relocating to Dallas, the franchise has advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs just once and has missed out on postseason play five times. Consequently, they have had numerous advantageous draft picks. The ongoing issue, however, has been selecting players who can thrive in the WNBA and remain with the team.
In 2019, the Wings chose Arike Ogunbowale with the fifth overall pick, and she has remained with the team ever since—unlike most other top picks from that period. The following year, the Wings opted for three first-round players: Satou Sabally, Bella Alarie, and Ty Harris. Unfortunately, Sabally departed after the 2024 season, Alarie played only 53 games before retiring, and Harris returned to the team this past season after being traded to the Sun in 2023.
In 2021, the Wings had the luxury of selecting at the first, second, and fifth spots. They picked Charli Collier, Awak Kuier, and Chelsea Dungee, respectively. Sadly, both Collier and Dungee have since exited the league; Dungee managed just 14 games with the Wings before moving on, while Collier was waived in 2023. The following year, the Wings drafted Veronica Burton, only to waive her after two seasons, whereupon she became a standout player for the Valkyries.
In a slight turn of fortune, the 2023 draft was more favorable for the Wings, as at least one of their three first-round selections remains on the roster. Maddy Siegrist, who joined the team as the third overall pick, continues to contribute positively. Lou Lopez Sénéchal played 27 games, but her contract is now suspended, and Abby Meyers didn’t survive past the training camp. Additionally, the Wings have also lost their first-round picks for 2024, trading Jacy Sheldon to the Sun and failing to protect Carla Leite during the expansion draft.
