archiveApril 2026

DHJ Quick Take: The Day 6 Notebook The Bueckers-Fudd Synergy: A takeaway from Friday was seeing Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd share the floor in the same 5-on-5 unit. Their "read-and-react" chemistry was on full display during a pick-and-roll sequence where Bueckers found Fudd for a mid-range pull-up after a...

DHJ Quick Take: The System Shift The European Influence: Head coach Jose Fernandez is moving the Wings away from isolation-heavy sets toward a "European-style" approach centered on ball movement and misdirection. As Curt Miller noted, the goal is to keep the defense in constant rotation. Unlocking Bueckers Off-Ball: By utilizing...

DHJ Quick Take: Targets to Consider The Flagg Foundation: Despite a 12th-place finish (26-56), the "Information Gain" from the 2025-26 season is the historic arrival of Cooper Flagg. After dropping 51 points on the Magic in April and setting the teenage scoring record, Flagg (21.1 PPG) has validated Nico Harrison's...

DHJ Quick Take Award Winner: Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been named the 2025-26 Kia Most Improved Player, making the Hawks the first team in NBA history to win the award in back-to-back seasons (following Dyson Daniels). Statistical Leap: After being acquired from Minnesota last summer, NAW averaged a...

DHJ Quick Take: Friday Takeaways Off-Ball Versatility: Head coach Jose Fernandez provided a key schematic insight by outlining a specific Paige Bueckers off-ball package. By utilizing Odyssey Sims, JJ Quinerly, and Lindsay Allen to handle primary playmaking duties, Fernandez aims to leverage Bueckers' gravity as a scorer—a tactical shift that...

DHJ Quick Take: The Shooting Standard The Spacing Mandate: The Dallas Wings coaching staff is emphasizing the "good shots to great shots" philosophy. The goal is clear: maximize the gravity of their primary creators to generate high-percentage looks for the entire rotation. Veteran Synergy: Seeing Odyssey Sims and Alysha Clark...

DHJ Quick Take: The Schematic Evolution The "Stack" Action: Seeing Paige Bueckers as the back-screener in Stack (or Spain) pick-and-roll is a significant tactical shift. By using Paige to screen for a rolling big like Li Yueru, Fernandez creates an immediate "lose-lose" for the defense: either give up a rim...

DHJ Quick Take: Strategic Approach for Paige Bueckers The Bueckers-Sims Synergy: The most vital "Information Gain" from Thursday was the extended pairing of Paige Bueckers and Odyssey Sims. As Curt Miller noted, Sims' ability to handle full-court pressure allows Bueckers to operate as an elite off-ball threat. Seeing Fernandez run...

DHJ Quick Take: The Culture Architect The Defensive Mandate: Paige Bueckers’ Day 5 huddle message—that defense is "about want to"—is the clearest sign yet that she has moved past the "don't step on toes" rookie phase. By demanding a higher standard on the defensive end, she is perfectly aligning with...

DHJ Quick Take: Early Dallas Wings Rotation Projections The "Big 5" Identity: Curt Miller's starting lineup of Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, Azzi Fudd, Jessica Shepard, and Alanna Smith is viewed as a tactical "home run." By pairing three perimeter threats with a "Point Forward" in Shepard and a co-Defensive Player...