The Dallas Wings will play the rest of their season with a new head coach.
The team relieved Fred Williams of his head coaching duties Sunday after the Wings' 93-80 loss to the Washington Mystics, which was Dallas' eighth consecutive defeat.
According to the women's basketball website High Post Hoops, Williams and a Wings executive -- possibly team president, CEO, and partner Greg Bibb -- were involved in a post-game altercation outside of the team's locker room earlier Sunday. Williams cited emotions when High Post Hoops' Lindsay Gibbs asked him about what happened.
Williams led the Wings/Tulsa Shock organization to a 71-96 (.425%) record in his 4 ½ seasons as head coach. The only season over .500 came in the franchise's final season in Tulsa in 2015 (18-16). The Wings last made the playoffs last season (0-1).
According to the Wings' public relations department, assistant coach Taj McWilliams-Franklin will become the interim head coach for the rest of the year. She will look to lead the Wings out of their current eight-game losing streak with just three contests left in the regular season. Dallas currently stands just one game ahead of the Las Vegas Aces for the final WNBA playoff spot.
Bibb released this statement as part of the Wings' announcement Sunday night:
Following today's game, I made the decision to change direction in regards to our head coaching position. I felt this move was necessary. The season has not met our expectations. I have asked Taj to serve as our interim head coach and I have the upmost confidence that she and our staff will do everything possible to put us in the best position to win. I wish Fred the best moving forward. Our focus remains on qualifying for the playoffs and ultimately competing for a WNBA championship.
The 2018 WNBA regular season ends next Sunday, August 19, and the playoffs start on August 21.
