Styles make fights, but Jose Fernandez's methods of player management are hard to appreciate. The Dallas Wings' head coach is clearly a tough cookie to crack, but not handing out praise when it is due seems ludicrous. Awak Kuier was in impressive defensive form during the Wings' 98-87 defeat to the Indiana Fever on August 14. However, when questioned about her performance post-game, Fernandez unexpectedly made it clear he is not content with his forward.
At a time when Dallas is desperate for their roster to show some kind of defensive resilience, Awak Kuier stepped up in a big way on that end of the floor. The 24-year-old recorded three blocks and tied second on the Wings in points differential (-1). Fernandez might have been unhappy at the loss, but the blame did not lie at the door of Kuier.
In his post-game press conference, the 53-year-old coach was asked about Kuier's contribution over the last couple of games. After remaining awkwardly silent for several seconds, Fernandez finally asked, "Did she ask about Awak?"
Then, after another brief moment of reflection went on to say, "[She's] got a good opportunity to go to Golden State [Valkyries] and rebound and defend, and protect the basket."
Sometimes, silence can say a thousand words, and in this case it did. Jose Fernandez was not happy with his forward's time on the floor, but maybe the head coach should consider how he is utilising the player rather than creating unnecessary noise around her performances.
Awak Kuier is an important defensive asset to Dallas
The Dallas Wings are on track for a playoff berth and have undoubtedly improved on their 2025 campaign. Nevertheless, with a bolstered roster, they have yet to uncover a defensive anchor that can propel them into championship contention.
After being awarded Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside the great A'ja Wilson, Alanna Smith was supposedly destined to be the team's enforcer, but that is something that hasn't come to fruition. Despite showing signs of improvement in recent weeks, Smith has only averaged 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks per game -- her lowest totals since 2021.
Additionally, Jessica Shephard has been a double-double threat throughout the 2026 season -- averaging 14.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, yet her defensive contribution has been less than helpful. Shephard has only recorded two blocks throughout the entire year, which is not what a team needs to hear when they are challenging among the WNBA's elite.
Regardless of the thoughts of her head coach, after three years out of the league and limited opportunities, Kuier is one of the only players who is making a difference on the defensive end of the floor. Despite averaging just 16.3 minutes per game, Kuier has still managed 1.2 blocks per contest, including a career-high four blocks in the Wings’ 99-98 overtime defeat to the New York Liberty.
Numbers don't always tell the full story, but in the case of the Dallas Wings and Awak Kuier, they pretty much paint the full picture. This is a player who has been underutilised and has impressed defensively when allowed to do so. Jose Fernandez's comments seemed far off the mark and, from the eye test, were frankly unwarranted.
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