It’s no secret that the Dallas Wings are the worst team in the WNBA, currently holding a 1–11 record and the third-worst defensive rating in the league. Despite selecting Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft — and despite her already-impressive production — the Wings are now projected to land the top pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Yes, the regular season spans 44 games, and only about 25% of it has been played. But by the looks of it, Dallas doesn’t seem to have a concrete plan to reverse their losing streak. Between a roster plagued by injuries and multiple losses by more than 10 points, their most realistic path forward may be through the draft — and through one college star in particular.
Wings might already be looking ahead to the 2026 WNBA Draft
Enter Lauren Betts, the UCLA senior who’s widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Betts broke out in her junior season with the Bruins, averaging 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in just over 30 minutes per game. She led UCLA to the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament before falling to none other than Bueckers and the UConn Huskies. In that game, Betts was dominant, putting up 26 points, five rebounds and two steals.
She’s made her name as a powerful interior scorer who regularly draws double-teams, runs well in transition and alters opposing game plans on both ends of the floor. Having already faced Bueckers in the biggest stage of her college career, Betts knows exactly what it takes to unlock that competitive fire in the Wings’ young point guard — and what it might take to elevate this team.
As it stands, the five non-playoff teams in the WNBA are eligible for the top pick via the draft lottery. If Dallas stays on their current trajectory, they’re on pace for just four total wins — which would be the second-worst record in WNBA history for any team that’s played 30+ games in a season.
While the idea of “tanking,” or strategically losing games, may alienate fans and hurt short-term morale, it could also pave the way for a legitimate rebuild — one that finally lifts the Wings out of irrelevance and into the postseason picture.