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"No one wants him here": Wings fans react as Paige Bueckers' teammate Arike Ogunbowale sidesteps question about HC Chris Koclanes

Modified Jun 10, 2025 06:29 GMT

Paige Bueckers' Dallas Wings have made a rough start to the 2025 WNBA season, picking up a single victory in their first 10 games. Amidst the turbulence on the court, it appears there's also tension brewing off the court.

After the Wings lost 81-65 to the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Arike Ogunbowale was asked about head coach Chris Koclanes. She sidestepped the question, but later praised assistant coach Nola Henry.

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Her comments caught the attention of fans, who called for Koclanes to be fired.

Under Koclanes, who is in his first year as Wings head coach, the team is seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio, ninth in field goal percentage and 11th in defensive rating. While the players can certainly play better than what they've shown, Koclanes and his coaching staff have a lot to figure out if the Wings are to contend for the playoffs.

To make matters worse, the team's top pick Bueckers has missed the past four games due to concussion protocol and another unrelated illness. In the first six games of her pro career, the former UConn star averaged 14.7 ppg, 4.7 ppg, and 6.7 apg.

Paige Bueckers clears concussion protocol amidst Wings' struggle to pick up second win

On Saturday, the Wings finally got some good news. As per ESPN's Alexa Philippou, Dallas' prized rookie Paige Bueckers has taken a major step in her recovery.

"Paige Bueckers has cleared concussion protocol after missing the last three games for the Dallas Wings. The team is listing her as probable with an illness heading into tomorrow's tilt against the Minnesota Lynx."

Despite Bueckers' absence in the loss to the Lynx, her completion of the concussion protocol allows her to move closer to a much-awaited return on the hardcourt.

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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