Unrivaled head coach joins Dallas Wings, shaking up Sparks coaching staff

Nola Henry and Camille Smith are the latest additions to Chris Koclane’s staff in Dallas.

The Dallas Wings announced on Monday they’ve hired Camille Smith and Nola Henry as assistant coaches, bolstering newly-appointed head coach Chris Koclanes’ team.

Smith and Henry both served as assistant coaches for the Los Angeles Sparks during the 2024 season under then-head coach Curt Miller, who is now the general manager of the Wings. Now, the duo of experienced assistants will join the staff in Dallas.

Smith is a 13-year WNBA veteran who retired in 2019 after stints with the San Antonio Stars, Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun, and Phoenix Mercury. She was a player development coach for the Wings in 2020 and has served as the head coach of Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas since 2022.

Henry, meanwhile, is one of six Unrivaled head coaches, and will be leading the Rose Club in the new professional women’s basketball 3-on-3 league, which tips off Friday.

Before that, she was an assistant coach on the Sparks and was also part of Miller’s staff on the Connecticut Sun. Henry played basketball at both the University of Massachusetts’ and the College of Charleston.

Koclanes had high praise for both hires, per a team press release.

“Camille is as competitive and committed to excellence as they come,” said Koclanes. “She is a true professional in every sense of the word, as a former player and now current head coach at Dallas’ own Paul Quinn College. She embodies the idea that how you do anything is how you do everything and I’m excited for her to bring her discipline, honesty and accountability to our culture.”

“She will connect with our players and challenge them to reach heights they didn’t think possible. As a player she had an elite feel defensively, seeing things before they were happening and consistently disrupting in the post. Her eye on that side of the ball will be a huge asset as we establish our defensive identity. Camille is a member of the DFW community and takes tremendous pride in that. She will pour everything she has into helping shape this next chapter of Wings basketball.”

Smith described the hiring as a “dream come true” and noted that she’s been a Wings season ticket holder since retiring in 2019.

“I have watched from the stands, and now I am ecstatic about bringing my knowledge and game experience to the sidelines,” Smith said. This is such an exciting time for the Dallas Wings and I am thrilled to be part of this new era. Being alongside such great basketball minds, including Chris Koclanes, Curt Miller, Nola Henry, Jasmine Thomas and Travis Charles, makes this opportunity even more special. I am grateful for the chance to learn and grow with the Wings.”

Koclanes similarly praised what Henry will bring to the table as one of his assistant coaches next season.

“We are lucky that Nola is choosing to join the Wings,” said Koclanes. “Her consistent demeanor, communication style and elite basketball IQ have earned her a high level of respect and trust league-wide. She is a hoops junkie who is always bringing new ideas and concepts to the table and can really help players to think, feel and digest the game. Nola is wise beyond her years. She has a unique ability to connect with people, meeting them where they are at while holding them to high standards.”

Henry expressed her enthusiasm for the role in an official press release.

“This is an incredible opportunity to be part of building something special with the Dallas Wings,” she said. “I am excited to use my experience and skills to help contribute to the growth of this franchise and cannot wait to get started.”

The announcement also formalizes the fact the Sparks will be without Smith and Henry next season. Los Angeles brought in a new head coach, Lynne Roberts, after firing Curt Miller this past fall. The Sparks have yet to share who Roberts’ assistants will be next season.

The Sparks (8-32) and Wings (9-31) were the WNBA’s two worst teams this past season. Both dealt with a myriad of injuries, with the Sparks losing No. 2 pick Cameron Brink for most of the season to an ACL tear, and the Wings losing Satou Sabally for the first half of the season as she recovered from a shoulder injury.

The Wings have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, while the Sparks have the No. 2 pick. UConn guard Paige Beuckers, Notre Dame guard Oliva Miles, Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron, and USC forward Kiki Iriafen are among the college players in contention for those top slots.