Dallas Wings: Five things you need to know

• Franchise won 3 WNBA championships in six seasons (2003, 2006, 2008)
• Went from worst to first, winning the 2003 title after a 9-23 record in 2002
• Detroit Shock (1998–2009), Tulsa Shock (2010–2015), Dallas Wings (2016 — present)‍
• Latest News: Read more about Aussies in the WNBA

The Dallas Wings are entering a defining new phase, pairing generational guard talent with elite defensive presence following the signing of Australian Opals centre Alanna Smith.

• ‍Conference: Western‍
• League: WNBA‍
• Founded: 1998‍
• History:
  Detroit Shock (1998–2009)
  Tulsa Shock (2010–2015)
  Dallas Wings (2016–present)‍
• Arena: College Park Center‍
• Location: Arlington, Texas‍
• Team colours: Navy, volt green, blue, cyan‍
• Major sponsor: Texas Capital Bank‍
• President: Greg Bibb‍
• General manager: Curt Miller‍
• Head coach: Jose Fernandez‍
• Assistant coaches: Camille Smith, Belle Koclanes‍
• Ownership: Bill Cameron, Chris Christian, Mark Yancey, Greg Bibb, University of Texas at Arlington‍
• Championships: 3 – 2003, 2006, 2008‍
• Conference titles: 4 – 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008

The Dallas Wings are no longer just a rebuilding team – they are now a statement franchise in the new WNBA economy.

After back-to-back bottom-tier seasons, Dallas has accelerated its timeline by signing Australian Opals centre Alanna Smith to a record-setting deal, adding a Defensive Player of the Year to a roster already built around No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers.

This is the pivot moment.

Australian Connection

Alanna Smith (2026–present)
Australian Opals centre Alanna Smith has signed a three-year deal worth USD $3.75 million (AUD ~$5.2M) – one of the most lucrative contracts ever for an Australian in the WNBA.

• 2026 salary: USD $1.19M
• Average: ~$1.25M per season
• Status: Co-WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Smith’s deal represents the new CBA era – and a dramatic shift in earning power for Australian players.

“You put so much hard work into your craft, and to be rewarded for it is pretty cool.”

Her rise is staggering:

• First 7 seasons total: $691K
• Next 3 seasons: $3.75M
• Increase: ~5.4× in three years
• 2025 → 2026 jump: ~$150K → $1.19M (+693%)

She joins Dallas after a breakout season with the Minnesota Lynx, where she established herself as one of the league’s premier two-way bigs.

Liz Cambage
Former Wings centre Liz Cambage delivered one of the greatest individual performances in WNBA history with a 53-point game in 2018, still the league record.

Erin Phillips
WNBL and AFLW champion Erin Phillips played in Dallas’ inaugural season (2016), adding veteran guard depth.

Team History

The Wings franchise is built on one of the WNBA’s great dynasties.

As the Detroit Shock, the team won three championships (2003, 2006, 2008), including a historic worst-to-first turnaround in 2003.

The franchise later moved to Tulsa before relocating to Dallas in 2016, where it has been rebuilding its identity ever since.

The New Core – Bueckers + Smith

Dallas now has one of the most intriguing duos in the league:

Paige Bueckers

• 2025 No. 1 pick
• Rookie of the Year
• 44-point game (season high)
• Offensive engine and primary creator

Alanna Smith

• 2025 Defensive Player of the Year
• Elite rim protection (1.9 blocks per game)
• Switchable defender across multiple coverages
• Expanding offensive range (3.8 3PA per game)

This is a classic inside-out build:

• Bueckers = shot creation + scoring gravity
• Smith = defensive anchor + versatility

General manager Curt Miller framed it clearly:

Smith gives Dallas “unbelievable versatility” defensively and the ability to impact both ends.

2026 Identity

The Wings are shifting from instability to structure:

• From 18 starting lineups (2025) → defined rotations
• From bottom defensive rating → anchored by DPOY
• From rebuild timeline → accelerated contention pathway

Smith’s arrival is not just a signing – it’s a cultural reset.

By the Numbers – Alanna Smith (2025)

Minutes: 26.5 │ Points: 9.6 │ FG: 48.5% │ 2PT: 63.3% │ 3PT: 32.9% │ FT: 47.7%
Rebounds: 5.1 │ Assists: 2.9 │ Steals: 1.3 │ Blocks: 1.9

• Defensive anchor across 42 games
• Elite interior efficiency (63.3% 2PT)
• Expanding perimeter role
• One of the league’s most versatile bigs

What It Means

Dallas is no longer waiting.

They’ve paired a generational guard with an elite defender in the first true “new CBA superteam blueprint”:

• Draft your star (Bueckers)
• Pay your anchor (Smith)
• Build from there

For Australian basketball, it’s bigger than one deal.

It’s proof the ceiling has changed.

Five Things You Need to Know

• Alanna Smith signs record deal – Three years, USD $3.75M (AUD ~$5.2M), among the richest ever for an Australian.
• Massive salary jump – Smith’s pay rises ~693% from ~$150K (2025) to $1.19M (2026).
• New CBA reality – She’ll earn ~5.4× more in three years than her first seven seasons combined.
• Elite two-way impact – 2025 co-Defensive Player of the Year with 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
• Dallas reset moment – Wings pair Smith with Paige Bueckers to fast-track their rebuild into contention.

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