‘Real talk’ or wreaking havoc? The questions WNBA coaches should ask before calling out their teams

Dallas Wings head coach Jose Fernandez made waves for calling out his players after a close loss last week. Photograph: Sam Hodde/NBAE/Getty Images I’ve never envied the job of a head coach. From high school to college to the pros, it’s a public position that invites scrutiny from all corners.

At the end of last week, the Dallas Wings lost a close game to the Minnesota Lynx after having the lead for most of the contest. Wings first-year head coach Jose Fernandez was very blunt in his postgame presser on Thursday night: “It’s real talk, and it’s accountability,” Fernandez said. “That’s what I told them.

I go, ‘There’s selfishness in this locker room. ’ There is. You gotta look in the mirror and be accountable on how you played, and don’t get upset if you think that you should’ve played more, or you didn’t play enough, or you didn’t get the shots you think you should’ve gotten.

” Dallas fans were quick to point out that it was only the third game of the season, and Fernandez’s critique seemed arrogant. Players like Maddy Siegrist and Aziaha James have voiced support for their coach, and the team responded with a commanding 23-point win over the Washington Mystics on Monday night (and a season-high 30 assists). Sometimes a coach publicly criticizes their team, and it comes back to haunt them.