DHJ Quick Take: Establishing the Standard
- The Defense-First Mandate: Jose Fernandez was blunt: defensive effort is not optional. By stating that he won’t “coach effort,” he is setting a professional floor that was often missing during the Wings‘ 10-34 campaign a year ago. His focus on “intentional” installation suggests a structured defensive scheme.
- The Recruitment Dividend: Alysha Clark’s reveal that Paige Bueckers played a key role in her recruitment highlights the “gravity” Bueckers now holds in the league. Adding a three-time champion like Clark gives the Wings a “coach on the floor” to bridge the gap between Fernandez’s system and the young roster.
- Fernandez Impressed By Conditioning: The veterans arrived at camp with a level of conditioning and rhythm that impressed Fernandez after their offseason play. Siegrist’s experience guarding Alyssa Thomas in the offseason has clearly accelerated her defensive versatility, a key asset for a frontcourt that now features Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard.
- Odyssey’s Return: Odyssey Sims provides the connective tissue to the franchise’s history. Her focus on “championship mentality” and mentoring a guard group that includes Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly ensures that the Wings‘ backcourt depth isn’t just talented, but disciplined.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings returned to College Park Center on Monday for the second day of training camp, with head coach Jose Fernandez putting a 17-player group through an installation-heavy practice focused on defense, conditioning, and the standards he wants established from the opening week.
Fernandez, veteran forward Alysha Clark, forward Maddy Siegrist, and guard Odyssey Sims all addressed the media following practice.
Jose Fernandez
Fernandez opened his Day 2 media availability by outlining the challenges of coaching the largest training camp group he has ever overseen, detailing his philosophy in assembling a coaching staff, and laying out the defensive identity he wants Dallas to establish in his first season. He said the volume of teaching required on both ends of the floor is significant, with the staff working to evaluate the full roster while giving projected top-12 players the bulk of repetitions.
Fernandez also praised the early conditioning of all the team’s non-rookie players who were coming off professional playing stents in the WNBA offseason, citing 3-on-3 league Unrivaled and other leagues, including Athletes Unlimited, as examples. Many of the team’s players who competed overseas will be late arrivals to camp and will be coming off high-level competition in those settings.
With the goal of establishing a strong defensive culture on a daily basis, Fernandez emphasized that he does not intend to coach defensive effort at the professional level. He wants effort and intensity to set the tone.
“Installing and playing defense is a priority every day,” Fernandez said. “I want people to talk about the Dallas Wings based on how hard we compete and how hard we play defensively.”
Maddy Siegrist
Siegrist, entering her fourth WNBA season, spoke about adjusting to new teammates, the impact of playing alongside Paige Bueckers and Fudd, and the defensive upgrades that Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard bring to the frontcourt. She said the structure both Bueckers and Fudd carry over from their time at UConn has already translated to early practices.
Siegrist also reflected on her time in Unrivaled, where she credited the environment with pushing her to create off the bounce and guard multiple positions against top competition, including Alyssa Thomas.
“I really like it. He’s intent but intentional, so I think that’s huge,” Siegrist said of Fernandez. “Every day we’re coming in with a purpose on what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Alysha Clark
Clark, the longtime WNBA veteran who signed with Dallas in free agency this offseason, spoke about the culture Fernandez is establishing, the physicality and versatility she sees across the Wings roster, and the veteran approach she takes to recovery and longevity at this stage of her career. She cited Fernandez’s detail-oriented approach and his emphasis on accountability as the foundation of the standard being set inside the locker room.
Clark also credited general manager Curt Miller and Bueckers’s early recruitment push as central to her decision to sign with Dallas, adding that the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement has created a league environment in which veterans are no longer penalized for their experience.
“There’s a culture identity here. It starts with Jose,” Clark said. “He’s very detail-oriented and an accountable coach. If there’s a mistake, you own it in that moment, learn from it, and be better. That trickles down to everyone.”
Odyssey Sims
Sims, who originally entered the WNBA as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, returns to the Wings for her second stint with the franchise and spoke about how the organization has evolved since the team relocated to Arlington in 2016. She pointed to Dallas’s recent track record as a playoff-caliber program and emphasized her role as a veteran leader, mentoring a young guard group that includes Bueckers, Fudd, JJ Quinerly, Aziaha James, and Grace Berger.
Sims also praised Fernandez’s energy and his early messaging around a championship mentality, noting that the head coach has set the tone for effort and pace from the opening practice.
“One of the first things he mentioned was having a championship mentality and reminding us what it takes to get there,” Sims said. “It starts the moment we step on the court. Every drill, every play, making sure we don’t take plays off.”
The Wings return to practice on Tuesday for a third consecutive day of practice before being off on Wednesday.
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