Teaira McCowan bounced back from a difficult start to the 2025 WNBA season in a second loss for the Dallas Wings. The home crowd gave her a warm reception after she threw a temper tantrum during the season-opener last week.
It creates an interesting dynamic for the team moving forward!
McCowan, 28, began her WNBA career with the Indiana Fever in 2019. The 6-foot-7 center played the last three years with the Dallas Wings. This current season is her fourth.
Things look different in Dallas. Not only was Paige Bueckers drafted No. 1 overall, Chris Koclanes was hired as the team’s new head coach during the offseason. His rotation is a work in progress.
We’re going to explore lots of different ways to play. There’s something about a rhythm that players like understanding if they’re starting, around what time in the game they’re coming in. So there’s a balance, right?
Giving them some predictability, but also as a staff having some sort of flexibility to respond to what’s happening in the game and throw different combinations at them.
— Chris Koclanes
McCowan is the most impacted player by the change thus far. She averaged 25.6 minutes per game in each of the last two seasons with an average of 11.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and one block. She played less than five minutes in the season-opening loss to the Lynx on Friday with three rebounds and four fouls.
The Wings huddled on the court after the game. Teaira McCowan stormed off to the locker room.
Neither McCowan nor Dallas offered an explanation for the temper tantrum, which was not a great look. You can’t have one of your most veteran players exit the court by herself after a disastrous performance. That is especially true during the first game of the year.
Wings fans did not seem to mind. Teaira McCowan scored 10 points with nine rebounds, one steal and three blocks in 15 minutes on Monday night. Although she still did not get the usage to which she is accustomed, she saw a 10-minute increase in playing time because her teammates were in early foul trouble and made the most of her opportunity.
Teaira McCowan is EATING in the post 🧑🍳
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 20, 2025
WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax pic.twitter.com/7mli30o8H2
Teaira McCowan was on fire.
Teaira McCowan is unstoppable in the paint tonight, she has 8 points and hasn't missed pic.twitter.com/5HpxCDBRk7
— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) May 20, 2025
The College Park Center gave her a raucous ovation.
This bounce-back performance creates a unique decision for the Dallas Wings’ first-year head coach. Teaira McCowan was much better with increased playing time in Game 2 than she was in Game 1 but the result was still a loss. How will Koclanes choose to manage this situation moving forward?
On one hand, McCowan stepped up in a big way. On the other hand, it did not lead to the desired outcome. On one hand, McCowan threw a temper tantrum after she didn’t get what she wanted. On the other hand, it caused her to react with a big game in her next opportunity.
Did she earn increased minutes? Will Koclanes put her in the starting lineup? Or will McCowan continue to be a role player who provides a spark off of the bench? Stay tuned.