How Will The Wings Use the No. 1 Pick?

Dallas snagged the top pick—now the real decisions begin. Zena, Ben, and Sabreena kick things off with the New York Liberty’s set to hire Chris DeMarco as their next head coach, unpacking what it means and the ripple effect it could have on coaching diversity across the league.  Then they break down one of the season’s best showdowns: UConn vs. Michigan. From there, it’s all WNBA Draft talk—how the lottery works, the top prospects to watch, and the delicate balance between filling immediate needs and betting on long-term upside. And to close it out, a Thanksgiving twist: pairing our favorite holiday dishes with the players whose games match them best. No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 00:46 Chris DeMarco is set to be named head coach of the New York Liberty 04:45 What’s needed to ensure Chris DeMarco is the right fit for the Liberty? 08:43 The interesting thing about Chris DeMarco joining the Liberty 12:01 Why might Black women be underrepresented in head coaching jobs? 21:30 The Ben’s Balance 22:12 UConn edges Michigan 72-69 28:57 How do the WNBA lottery odds work? 30:34 An overview of the remaining WNBA draft order 32:17 Sabreena’s Top 5 WNBA draft picks 35:44 How can teams best navigate the draft? 42:59 Which pick could land Lauren Betts? 48:45 Which pick could land Azzi Fudd 52:45 Where might Flau’jae Johnson be selected in the draft? 55:09 Could Olivia Miles go first overall? 01:00:00 Which player could make a surprise jump on draft night? Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6827020/2025/11/21/new-york-liberty-warriors-chris-demarco-wnba/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6827978/2025/11/21/uconn-michigan-womens-basketball/ by Ben Pickman https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6831951/2025/11/23/wnba-draft-lottery-dallas-wings-win-no-1-pick/ by Ben Pickman https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6832126/2025/11/24/wnba-mock-draft-2026-dallas-wings/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6832318/2025/11/24/womens-college-b%E2%80%A6ankings-michigan/ by Ben Pickman Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott and Cassius Flemming Thumbnail: Thumbnail: Borja B. Hojas, Joe Buglewicz via Getty Images Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS