The Dallas Wings and the Las Vegas Aces will clash on Friday for their first preseason game in 2025. After failing to make the playoffs last year, the Wings retooled their roster in the offseason. They acquired multiple veterans and landed Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA draft.
Chris Koclanes will debut at the helm as a first-time head coach. He will be pitting wits against the multi-titled Becky Hammon, who guided the Aces to the championship in 2022 and 2023.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas hopes to use the preseason as the platform to return to the top of the WNBA. After falling short of a three-peat bid last year, the Aces should be hungrier than ever.
Dallas Wings vs Las Vegas Aces: Preview
The Wings-Aces showdown will be held at the University of Notre Dame on Friday. Aces stars Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd and Wings sharpshooter Arike Ogunbowale, who played for the Fighting Irish will likely be the toast of the crowd.
Dallas Wings coach Chris Koclanes will be particularly interested in testing his heavily retooled roster, which only has three holdovers from the 2024 team. Ogunbowale, Teaira McCowan and Maddy Seigrist, the only veterans left, have a tall task of getting their new teammates acclimated to Wings basketball.
Paige Bueckers will finally wear the Wings jersey against another team. Although the game on Friday is in the preseason, Dallas basketball fans get a taste of Bueckers running the team.
Like Koclanes, Becky Hammon could also be looking to see what the Las Vegas Aces rookies Aaliyah Nye, Deja Kelly and Harmoni Turner could do. A’ja Wilson and Kiah Stokes are unlikely to play for long, so Elizabeth Kitley should get a lion’s share of the minutes.
Hammon will likely give Notre Dame fans what they want. She could have Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young, Fighting Irish legends, run the backcourt. Purcell Pavilion could explode when they see that pairing.
Dallas Wings vs Las Vegas Aces prediction
The Dallas Wings and the Las Vegas Aces are not likely trying to go for a win on Friday. Dallas’ main priority will be to develop chemistry, considering the team only has three holdovers from last season. The Wings’ lineup looks solid, but familiarity will be a factor they will have to address.
Meanwhile, the Aces will also incorporate new players but should be ahead of their opponents in chemistry. The holdovers are familiar with Becky Hammons’ system. They could start their preseason with a win at Notre Dame.
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Edited by Michael Macasero
