The Dallas Wings are headed in an exciting new direction. Long-time college head coach Jose Fernandez will bring some much-needed experience and direction to the team and Paige Bueckers promises to be even better than she was in her rookie year. On top of that, the Wings will get another lottery pick, and a big free agency class offers a chance for the franchise to reshape the supporting cast around Bueckers.
Given how much talent Bueckers brings to the guard spot, the Wings will need a big with a similar star potential to pair with her. The league is dominated by strong guard-forward duos, like Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson in Las Vegas, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones/Breanna Stewart in New York, Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier in Minnesota, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston in Indiana, and Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike in Seattle.
The Wings will have a chance to draft a promising young center in the 2026 draft in Lauren Betts or Awa Fam. They could also bring in another young talent, though, completely revamping the frontcourt rotation. Awak Kuier, the Wings’ 2021 lottery pick, might make her WNBA return in the 2026 season.
Awak Kuier hasn’t played in the WNBA since 2023
Awak Kuier joined a deep Wings roster in 2021, playing alongside Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally, Marina Mabrey, Allisha Gray, Isabelle Harrison, and Kayla Thornton. Kuier was one of four rookies on the roster and only played 8.9 minutes per game over sixteen contests. Over the next two years, Kuier’s role never expanded much. She averaged 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.1 minutes over her first three WNBA seasons.
Kuier didn’t play in the WNBA in 2024 and 2025, but continued to work on her game overseas, playing for the Italian club Reyer Venezia. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, she signed with Galatasaray in Turkey. Kuier has a pretty big role on her new team, regularly playing around 25 minutes. Over nine games, Kuier has already scored in double figures three times, including one double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in her first EuroLeague game of the season, and put together some good defensive performances. She totalled 17 blocks and 13 steals over nine games.
Even though she was drafted four years ago, Kuier is still young. She just turned 24 this year. Playing in Europe has clearly helped her improve and develop. In 2024, she was even named the Italian League Finals MVP and the league’s Best Foreign Player.
Kuier might be ready to return to the WNBA soon
In July, Wings GM Curt Miller referred to Kuier as “a young, dynamic piece that’s a part of our future”. Miller is currently on a trip across Europe. He recently watched Luisa Geiselsöder and Awak Kuier play against each other in Galatasaray’s 75-71 win over Mersin.
Miller’s continued interest in Kuier’s overseas play suggests that his plans for her future with the team haven’t changed and the 24-year-old could be back in Dallas sooner rather than later. Bringing Kuier back to the W doesn’t alleviate the Wings’ need for a center with true star potential, though. Kuier may be a promising young player, but she hasn’t shown that kind of ceiling yet.
Miller also posted on social media about going to Valencia where Awa Fam, a projected lottery pick, plays.