WNBA All-Star and Award Winner Joins in Dual On-Court, Front Office Role
Arlington, TX (Jan. 19, 2024) – The Dallas Wings have hired WNBA All-Star Jasmine Thomas as the organization’s Director of Player Programs and Development Coach, the team announced today. Thomas will start with the Wings on February 5.
Thomas joins to Dallas having recently retired following a 13-year WNBA career. Originally drafted by the Seattle Storm in the first round of the 2011 WNBA Draft, the Fairfax, Va. native played for four WNBA franchises (Washington, Atlanta, Connecticut, Las Angeles) while appearing in 390 regular season games and 32 playoff contests. Over the course of her career, Thomas scored 3,862 points while registering 1,477 assists. The Duke University product delivered her best campaign during the 2017 season, averaging 14.2 points per game while distributing 4.3 assists per outing on her way to being named a WNBA All-Star.
Long considered one of the League’s best perimeter defenders, Thomas is a five-time member of the WNBA All-Defensive Team. She was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2016 and 2021 while garnering WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Recognized as one of the most community-focused and socially engaged professional athletes, Thomas is a two-time recipient of the WNBA Community Assist Award having been honored by the League in both 2019 and 2021.
While at Duke, Thomas was a two-time winner of the Kay Yow Award as Women’s Basketball’s Student Athlete of the Year. She was also the first Blue Devil to be recognized as a an Academic All-American on two occasions and only the second Duke player at the time who had been honored as the ACC Tournament MVP twice. Thomas was also recognized as a Capital One Academic All-American during her senior campaign. She graduated with her name listed throughout the Duke all-time record book, finishing her time as a Blue Devil ranked in the top 10 in scoring, assists, three-pointers made, games played, games started and minutes played.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jasmine to the Dallas Wings organization,” Wings President & CEO Greg Bibb stated. “I have been fortunate to know Jasmine for nearly 15 years dating back to her collegiate days and I have the highest regard for her. Jasmine’s contribution to the Wings both on and off the court will help us as we continue our pursuit of a WNBA Championship while working tirelessly to be a best-of-class organization. In particular, her leadership in our newly created Player Programs department will be invaluable as we continue to expand the services and support we provide our athletes while connecting and establishing on-going relationships with our former players.”
In Thomas’ role as Director of Player Programs and Development Coach, she will be a member of head coach Latricia Trammell’s coaching staff with a focus on the roster’s on-court skill development. Thomas will also serve as a member of the Wings front office, working on the development and execution of programs centered around player services and support, including but not limited to career development, mentorship and philanthropic interests.
In addition, Thomas will assist with the expansion of the annual Wings Mentor Trip, which the organization launched during the 2023 season. She will also work to create connection between the team’s present and past through the development and launch of the Wings Alumni Association where she will be charged with connecting and supporting former Wings players.
“The most important part of my decision to retire was having a valuable opportunity to continue significantly impacting women’s basketball in this next chapter of my life,” Thomas stated. “I’m excited to join the Dallas Wings organization in a unique role that aligns with my passion for empowering athletes on and off the court. I’m looking forward to working with a fun group of dynamic players alongside Greg Bibb, Amber Cox, Coach Trammell and the Wings staff to bring a WNBA Championship to Dallas.”
“These are exciting times for our Dallas Wings organization as we welcome Jasmine Thomas to our coaching staff,” Head Coach Latricia Trammell stated. “Bringing a seasoned professional basketball player into our coaching ranks is a dynamic shift that enriches our team with firsthand experience, skill, and a winning mentality. We look forward to Jasmine’s passion impacting our players on and off the court.”