The Dallas Wings made it official Monday, naming Latricia Trammell as their new head coach.
Multiple sources confirmed to news outlets last week that Trammell, who has been a Los Angeles Sparks assistant the last four seasons, would take over the Wings. She replaces Vickie Johnson, who led the Wings to a 32-36 record and two playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022, but was fired by Dallas on Sept. 19.
The Wings finished 18-18 this season, their best record since the team moved to Dallas in 2016. Previously, the franchise was the Detroit Shock (1998-2009) and then the Tulsa Shock (2010-15). But Wings management still decided to make a change and went with the experience of Trammell, who has coached at the pro, college and high school levels for nearly 30 years.
"I have long admired the approach Latricia takes with coaching, which includes exhaustive preparation, an emphasis on communication and relationships, and a continual desire to learn and grow her craft," Wings president & CEO Greg Bibb said in a statement Monday. "I'm excited to watch Latricia lead our talented roster as we continue our on-court growth in pursuit of a WNBA championship."
Trammell coached NAIA women's college basketball powerhouse Oklahoma City, where she went 85-10 and won two national championships, before moving to the WNBA in 2017. She also has been an assistant at the Division I and NAIA levels, and a head coach in Division II and high school.
Trammell will be the Wings' fifth coach since 2018. Fred Williams was let go late in that season, and former WNBA player Taj McWilliams-Franklin finished 2018 as interim coach. Brian Agler, who had won WNBA championships in Seattle and Los Angeles, coached the Wings in 2019 and 2020, during which Dallas went 18-38 and didn't make the playoffs. He was replaced by Johnson.
In Los Angeles, Trammell specialized in defense, and the Sparks were top three in the league in defensive net rating for three of her seasons there. Former Sparks player Candace Parker and two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker won her first Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2020, during Trammell's time in Los Angeles.
"The investment by this ownership group in the success of the Wings, both on and off the court, is incredibly impressive," Trammell said in a statement. "I believe my coaching experiences at every level have prepared me for this opportunity, and I can't wait to get to work on behalf of this team, these loyal fans and the entire North Texas community."