A steep descent in fortune for the Dallas Wings reached a new low on Sunday afternoon in Washington, when head coach Fred Williams and a man believed to be team president, CEO and partner Greg Bibb were involved in a postgame altercation outside the team’s locker room, following a 93-80 loss to the Mystics.
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According to a source present for the back-and-forth, Williams and Bibb had to be restrained by other Wings staffers, and Williams was screaming obscenities.
When asked about the incident by High Post Hoops’ Lindsay Gibbs, Williams responded: “You know, just, typical — when you’re in a drought, you have some emotional things going. Got to sometimes just let things go and regroup and just find a way to get a W.”
At that point, Wings PR interjected to tell reporters “game questions only”.
Bibb told High Post Hoops that “the team will issue a statement later this evening”.
The incident is just the latest setback that followed a Wings season with such promise. On July 19, Liz Cambage followed her WNBA-record 53 points with another 35, and the Wings defeated Washington, 90-81 to improve their record to 14-9. The Wings sat among the teams with a logical shot at the second seed in the WNBA playoffs, and given the way Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith and others were playing, they seemed as plausible a title contender as anyone in the league.
However, that marked the last win of the season for the Wings, and eight straight losses later, Dallas sits just a game ahead of the Las Vegas Aces for the eighth and final WNBA playoff spot. Moreover, the recent decline in play leaves few believers that even if they make the postseason, they’ll be any kind of postseason threat.
If this is how it ends for Fred Williams in Dallas, it is a remarkable, unexpected downward turn as well. Cambage came to Dallas in large part due to the joint recruiting by Williams and Bibb, and Cambage spoke positively about the multi-year email correspondence Williams and Cambage had before she signed a two-year deal with the Wings prior to the 2018 season.
The Wings have three more games to turn things around this year, including one more head-to-head matchup with Las Vegas.
UPDATE : ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel reports that Fred Williams is out as Wings coach.
Fred Williams is working on statement with his agent. It appears he is out as Wings coach.
— Michael Voepel (@MAVoepel) August 12, 2018
Williams has a career 131-153 record as a WNBA coach, including 71-96 over five seasons with the current franchise since taking the helm of the then-Tulsa Shock prior to the 2014 season.
UPDATE The Wings have fired Williams. Taj McWilliams-Franklin will serve as interim head coach.
Here’s Bibb’s statement, from a team release: “Following today’s game, I made the decision to change direction in regards to our head coaching position. I felt this move was necessary. The season has not met our expectations. I have asked Taj to serve as our interim head coach and I have the upmost confidence that she and our staff will do everything possible to put us in the best position to win. I wish Fred the best moving forward. Our focus remains on qualifying for the playoffs and ultimately competing for a WNBA championship.”