Established
1998
City
Detroit – Tulsa – Dallas
League History
1998 – Present / Women’s National Basketball Association
Team History
2016 – Present / Dallas Wings
2010 – 2015 / Tulsa Shock
1998 – 2009 / Detroit Shock
Nickname
Wings – The Dallas Wings are a professional Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) basketball team. While their name may not sound like it has any particular meaning, the origin of their nickname is rooted in Texas history.
The Dallas Wings were founded as part of an expansion into Texas by the WNBA, and they wanted to honor both women’s basketball and the state itself with their name. The result was "Wings," which pays homage to one of Texas' most iconic symbols: The Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. This historic event marked a significant milestone for aviation. It showed that anything was possible if you had enough courage to pursue your dreams - something that resonates strongly with sports fans everywhere.
In addition, “wings” also symbolize freedom and strength - two qualities associated with female athletes who have overcome adversity on their way to success on the court or field. As such, it is an apt tribute to those brave pioneers who took off from Kitty Hawk more than 100 years ago and to all those courageous women today making waves through sport both domestically & internationally!
It's clear why this nickname holds so much significance for sports fans across America; after all, what better way is there to celebrate both past & present achievements than by honoring them through our favorite teams? So next time you hear someone mention “the wings,” make sure they know where its roots lie- right here in Dallas!
Championship
WNBA Championships 0
Arena
2016 – Present / College Park Center
*Tulsa*
2010 – 2015 / BOK Center
*Detroit*
1998 – 2009 / The Palace of Auburn Hills
Owner
2016 – Present / Bill Cameron, Chris Christian and Mark Yancey
2010 – 2015 / Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC
1998–2009 / William Davidson
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2022
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Wings Team Creation
On July 23, 2015, WNBA League owners unanimously approved the Tulsa Shock’s relocation to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to play out of the College Park Center at the University of Texas at Arlington. College Park Center is also home to the UT Arlington Mavericks basketball and volleyball teams. At a press conference at College Park Center on November 2, 2015, it was announced that the team was renamed ... -
The Wings made their first playoff appearance in Dallas
In 2017: The Wings made their first playoff appearance in Dallas, but lost to the Washington Mystics in the first round. They also drafted Allisha Gray, who won the Rookie of the Year award, and traded for Skylar Diggins-Smith, who returned from a knee injury. -
The Wings made the playoffs again
In 2018: The Wings made the playoffs again, but lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round. They also had three All-Stars: Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Kayla Thornton. Cambage set a WNBA record with 53 points in a game against the New York Liberty. -
Dallas Wings drafted Arike Ogunbowale
In 2019: The Dallas Wings drafted Arike Ogunbowale, who led all rookies in scoring and was named to the All-Rookie Team. -
The Wings hired Vickie Johnson as their new head coach
In 2022: The Wings hired Vickie Johnson as their new head coach, replacing Brian Agler who resigned after two seasons.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Wings
The Dallas Wings, previously known as the Tulsa Shock, are a Women’s National Basketball Association team founded in 1998 as the Detroit Shock. The franchise moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2010 and then relocated to Arlington, Texas, before the 2016 season. Since their move to Texas, they have become one of the most successful teams in WNBA history, winning two regular-season titles and making three appearances at the WNBA Finals.
The Dallas Wings roster is filled with talented players who have impacted both sides of the ball since joining forces with head coach Brian Agler during their first season back in Arlington. Players like Allisha Gray and Arike Ogunbowale have been instrumental pieces for this squad over recent years as they continue pushing towards championship contention each year despite not having much luck so far when it comes down to crunch time against some of the league’s elite teams, such as the Los Angeles Sparks or Minnesota Lynx.
Despite all these struggles throughout the past few seasons, the Dallas Wings, formerly known as the Tulsa Shock, remain a top-tier contender thanks mainly to its core group of veterans, such as Skylar Diggins-Smith and Liz Cambage, alongside young stars like Satou Sabally. With this combination together under the helm of Coach Agler, expect them to make a deep run into the playoffs come the 2021 WNBA season, which could finally be the year where we see them break through the glass ceiling and reach the finals once again after being close many times before but never quite getting there yet!
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history