Jose Fernandez had harsh words for the Dallas Wings following the team's 90-86 loss to the Minnesota Lynx — words that have bounced around online ever since he uttered them Thursday night. While speaking to reporters, Fernandez said the team was contending with "emotions surrounding minutes and starting" and that his team needs accountable in terms of how they feel about whether or not they're starting.
If that sounds tough, it's because it is. This kind of talk works for players who hear it and are motivated to do more and be better, but not every player will respond that way.
Fernandez also called out "selfishness" in the Wings' locker room, but stopped short of naming names. Notably, he also did not appear to take any accountability for the loss.
Jose Fernandez's criticism is coming very early in the season
Fernandez is well within his rights to speak about his team however he sees fit, but it's worth noting that this game was only the Wings' third of the entire 2026 season. He undoubtedly hopes to coach the successfully coach the team this season, but it might be too early to blast his own roster for selfishness when they're largely unproven and still working their way up from last season's standings.
But it's also worth considering the idea that Fernandez may have already spent plenty of time addressing the issue — which likely began to present itself during training camp and preseason — and may feel that publicly knocking his team is a necessary next step. While he's new to the WNBA, Fernandez coached women's college basketball for over two decades before accepting the job with the Wings.
The Wings were up against a tough Lynx team
There's another factor that was present during Thursday's game that Fernandez didn't acknowledge at all: the fact that Cheryl Reeve often offers a masterclass in WNBA coaching in the fourth quarter of a game, and part of the reason the Wings lost may have been just because of that. The Lynx may not look exactly how they'd like to this season, but they're still one of the strongest teams in the league — and Reeve is one of its best coaches.
The Wings have plenty of time to bounce back from the loss and to prove their coach wrong. The question is this: will they be motivated to do so after what Fernandez said, or will they concede defeat entirely too early?
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