The Dallas Wings are an American professional basketball team based in Arlington, Texas. The Wings play in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is owned by a group led by chairman Bill Cameron. Greg Bibb is president and CEO.
Brad Hilsabeck joined the Dallas Wings ownership group in March 2019 with the acquisition of Mark Yancey’s interest in the Wings.
The team was founded in Auburn Hills, Michigan, before the 1998 WNBA season began, and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, before the 2010 season; on July 20, 2015, Cameron announced that the franchise would move to Arlington[3] for the 2016 WNBA season.
The Shock were one of the first WNBA expansion teams and began play in 1998. The Shock quickly brought in a blend of rookies and veterans, but only qualified for the postseason once in its first five years of existence. The Shock went through two coaches (hall of famerNancy Lieberman and Greg Williams) before hiring former Detroit Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer. Rumors arose that the Shock would fold after the team's awful 2002 season. Laimbeer convinced the owners to keep the team for another year, certain that he could turn things around. The Shock finished the next season with a 25–9 record and defeated the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks in the 2003 WNBA Finals. Detroit became the first team in league history to go from last place one season to WNBA champions the next season.
After a couple of seasons of losing in the first round of the playoffs, the Detroit Shock returned to success and appeared in three straight finals from 2006 to 2008. They won the WNBA championship in 2006 over the Sacramento Monarchs and 2008 over the San Antonio Silver Stars, but lost to the Phoenix Mercury in 2007.
Tulsa had been mentioned as a possible future city for WNBA expansion, but efforts did not come together until the middle of 2009. An organizing committee with Tulsa businesspeople and politicians began the effort to attract an expansion team. The group was originally given a September 1 deadline, but WNBA President Donna Orender extended that deadline into October. The investment group hired former University of Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson as the potential franchise general manager and head coach, and on October 15, 2009, the group made its official request to join the league.
On October 20, 2009, WNBA President Donna Orender, lead investors Bill Cameron and David Box, Tulsa mayor Kathy Taylor, Oklahoma governorBrad Henry, and head coach Nolan Richardson were present for a press conference announcing that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa. On January 23, 2010, the franchise announced that the team would remain as the Shock, but their colors were changed to black, red, and gold.[4]
On July 20, 2015, majority owner Bill Cameron announced he was moving the team to Dallas-Fort Worth.
Dallas Wings (2016–present)
On July 23, 2015, WNBA league owners unanimously approved the Tulsa Shock's relocation to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to play out of the College Park Center at the University of Texas at Arlington.[5] College Park Center is also home to the UT Arlington Mavericks basketball and volleyball teams. At a press conference at College Park Center on November 2, 2015, the team was announced to be renamed the Dallas Wings.[6]
Uniforms
Uniforms were revealed at the First Annual Wings Draft Party April 14, 2016. The light uniforms were primarily lime green, while the dark uniforms were predominantly blue. As a result of a league-wide initiative for its 20th season, all games featured all-color uniform matchups, thus no white uniforms were unveiled for this season.
Courtney Paris (2012-2017), now an assistant coach for the Wings
Odyssey Sims (2014–2016; 2023–present), returned to the Wings on June 7, 2023, on a hardship contract after an injury to Crystal Dangerfield.[7] When Dangerfield was cleared to play, the Wings released Sims on June 15, 2023.[8] On June 28, 2023, Sims signed a standard contract with the Wings for the remainder of the season.[9]
July 29, 1999: The Shock traded Korie Hlede and Cindy Brown to the Utah Starzz in exchange for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson.
April 24, 2000: The Shock traded Jennifer Azzi and the 12th pick in the 2000 Draft to the Utah Starzz in exchange for the third and eighth picks in the 2000 Draft.
April 20, 2001: The Shock traded Val Whiting to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
April 24, 2001: The Shock traded Anna DeForge to the Houston Comets in exchange for Jennifer Rizzotti.
May 13, 2001: The Shock traded Tamicha Jackson to the Portland Fire in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 27, 2001: The Shock traded Jennifer Rizzotti to the Cleveland Rockers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 27, 2001: The Shock traded Olympia Scott-Richardson and a third-round pick in the 2002 Draft to the Indiana Fever in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2002 Draft.
May 3, 2002: The Shock traded Claudia das Neves to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2003 Draft.
May 11, 2002: The Shock traded a fourth-round pick in the 2003 Draft to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Stacy Clinesmith.
July 7, 2002: The Shock traded Wendy Palmer and a second-round pick in the 2003 Draft to the Orland Miracle in exchange for Elaine Powell and a first-round pick in the 2003 Draft.
April 27, 2003: The Shock traded Dominique Canty to the Houston Comets in exchange for Allison Curtin.
April 28, 2003: The Shock traded Edwina Brown and Lanae Williams to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Telisha Quarles and Petra Ujhelyi.
April 29, 2003: The Shock traded Kara Lawson to the Sacramento Monarchs in exchange for Kendra Holland-Corn.
May 19, 2003: The Shock traded a third-round pick in the 2004 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Tamara Moore.
July 31, 2003: The Shock traded Tamara Moore to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Stacey Thomas.
February 11, 2004: The Shock traded Kendra-Holland Corn and the 26th pick in the 2004 Draft to the Houston Comets in exchange for the 11th and the 32nd picks in the 2004 Draft.
April 17, 2004: The Shock traded Shereka Wright, Sheila Lambert and Erika Valek to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Chandi Jones.
April 14, 2005: The Shock traded Iciss Tillis to the Washington Mystics in exchange for the 13th pick in the 2005 Draft.
June 29, 2005: The Shock traded Andrea Stinson and a second-round pick in the 2006 Draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Plenette Pierson.
July 30, 2005: The Shock traded Chandi Jones, Stacey Thomas, and a first-round pick in the 2006 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Katie Smith and a second-round pick in the 2006 Draft.
April 5, 2006: The Shock traded Ambrosia Anderson and a second-round pick in the 2007 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Jacqueline Batteast and a third-round pick in the 2007 Draft.
May 18, 2006: The Shock traded two third-round picks in the 2007 Draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Angelina Williams.
February 22, 2007: The Shock traded Ruth Riley to the San Antonio Silver Stars in exchange for Katie Feenstra and the right to swap first-round picks in the 2008 Draft.
February 6, 2008: The Shock traded Ivory Latta to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for LaToya Thomas and the 18th pick in the 2008 Draft.
February 19, 2008: The Shock traded Swin Cash to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the fourth pick in the 2008 Draft.
June 22, 2008: The Shock traded LaToya Thomas to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Eshaya Murphy.
August 12, 2008: The Shock traded Eshaya Murphy, Tasha Humphrey, and a second-round pick in the 2009 Draft to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Taj McWilliams-Franklin.
April 9, 2009: The Shock traded Ashley Shields to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the 18th pick in the 2009 Draft.
April 7, 2010: The Shock traded the seventh pick in the 2010 Draft and a second-round pick in the 2011 Draft to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Chante Black and Amber Holt.
April 14, 2010: The Shock traded Crystal Kelly to the San Antonio Silver Stars in exchange for Shanna Crossley.
May 27, 2010: The Shock traded Shavonte Zellous to the Indiana Fever in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2011 Draft.
June 14, 2010: The Shock traded Plenette Pierson to the New York Liberty in exchange for Tiffany Jackson.
July 22, 2010: The Shock traded Kara Braxton to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Nicole Ohlde and a first-round pick in the 2011 Draft.
July 26, 2010: The Shock traded Alexis Hornbuckle to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Rashanda McCants.
February 1, 2011: The Shock traded a second-round pick in the 2012 Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Andrea Riley.
May 2, 2011: The Shock traded Scholanda Robinson to the San Antonio Silver Stars in exchange for second- and third-round picks in the 2012 Draft.
January 12, 2012: The Shock traded Andrea Riley to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Temeka Johnson.
July 2, 2012: The Shock traded Karima Christmas to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Roneeka Hodges.
March 1, 2013: The Shock traded Deanna Nolan, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick in the 2013 Draft to the New York Liberty in exchange for Nicole Powell. As part of the three-team trade, the Shock also traded their second-round pick in the 2014 Draft to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Candice Wiggins.
June 20, 2013: The Shock traded Kayla Pedersen to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2014 Draft.
March 1, 2016: The Wings traded Riquna Williams and the 6th pick in the 2016 Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Erin Phillips, the 5th pick in the 2016 Draft, and a first-round pick in the 2017 Draft.
May 11, 2016: The Wings traded Amanda Zahui B. and a second-round pick in the 2017 Draft to the New York Liberty in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2017 Draft.
February 17, 2017: The Wings traded Odyssey Sims and the 11th pick in the 2017 Draft to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for the 4th overall pick and a second-round pick in the 2017 Draft.
July 23, 2018: The Wings traded Ariel Powers to the Washington Mystics for Tayler Hill, and a 2019 second round draft pick, with the option to trade first round picks.
May 16, 2019 The Wings traded Liz Cambage to the Las Vegas Aces for Moriah Jefferson, Isabelle Harrison, the Aces' first and second round picks in the 2020 Draft.
May 16, 2019 The Wings traded their third round pick in the 2020 Draft to Atlanta Dream for Imani McGee-Stafford.
February 12, 2020 The Wings traded Skylar Diggins-Smith to Phoenix in exchange for the 5th and 7th picks in the 2020 Draft and Phoenix's first round pick in the 2021 Draft.
February 12, 2020 The Wings traded the first round pick in the 2021 Draft acquired from Phoenix to Chicago in exchange for Astou Ndour.
February 14, 2020 The Wings traded Azurá Stevens to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's first round pick in the 2021 Draft and Katie Lou Samuelson.
February 21, 2020 The Wings traded their second round pick in the 2021 Draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Marina Mabrey.
April 15, 2020 In a three team trade, the Wings acquired Washington's first round pick in the 2021 Draft and New York's second round pick in the 2021 Draft in exchange for Tayler Hill, the 9th pick, and the 15th pick of the 2020 Draft.
May 26, 2020 The Wings traded a third round pick in the 2021 Draft and Kristine Anigwe to Los Angeles for a second round pick in the 2021 Draft.
February 10, 2021 The Wings traded Katie Lou Samuelson and a second round pick in the 2022 Draft to Seattle in exchange for the first pick in the 2021 Draft.
April 14, 2021 The Wings traded the seventh pick in the 2021 Draft and a second round pick in the 2022 Draft to Los Angeles for a first round pick in the 2022 Draft.
June 2, 2021 The Wings traded Dana Evans to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's third round pick in the 2022 Draft, the right to swap 2022 first round picks, and Shayla Heal.
March 8, 2022 The Wings traded the 4th and 6th picks in the 2022 Draft and their first round pick in the 2023 Draft for Teaira McCowan, the 7th pick in the 2022 Draft and the Chicago Sky's First Round pick in the 2023 Draft.
January 16, 2023 The Wings traded Kayla Thornton to New York and Tyasha Harris to Connecticut in exchange for Natasha Howard and Crystal Dangerfield.
January 21, 2023 The Wings traded Allisha Gray to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the third overall pick in the 2023 Draft and Atlanta's first round pick in the 2025 Draft.
February 11, 2023 The Wings acquired Diamond DeShields, Chicago's first round picks in the 2023 and 2024 Draft, and the right to swap first round picks in the 2025 Draft in exchange for Marina Mabrey.
May 4, 2024 The Wings acquired Atlanta's 3rd round pick in the 2025 Draft in exchange for Crystal Dangerfield.