We are back for another week of WNBA season previews. Aside from the draft, the rosters are set. So once a week until the season is back, I will be looking at one team. I will discuss their changes and what to expect from them this season.
To build up, I will be going in reverse order from the standings a season ago. Now is when the true fun begins. In past weeks we have talked about the cool young team that still feels a ways away and the refurbishment of a former league cornerstone. Today, we talk about a Dream becoming a reality in real time.
2022 Recap
After several seasons of being something of an afterthought, the Atlanta Dream have fully stepped into the spotlight. First-year coach Tanisha Wright spent most of the season in Coach of the Year conversations. Finishing fifth in defensive rating, Wright pushed a team without much of an identity coming in to being elite.
Wright may have found a way to get the most out of this roster last season. But everything truly orbits around Rhyne Howard. The Rookie of the Year saw the expectations levied upon her as the top overall pick and blew them out of the water.
Making an All-Star game as a rookie is no small feat, but Howard made it look easy. Finishing tied 12th (with now former teammate Tiffany Hayes) in the league in scoring at 16.2 points per game, the rookie also finished top five in the league in steals per game (1.6). Amongst guards, she was fourth in blocks per game (0.8).
Even beyond the statistical impact, Howard was the sort of personality that transformed her organization around her. This went from a team without a rudder, suspending former All-Stars, to one of the true up-and-coming teams in the league. She is a partner for Aari McDonald, who took solid strides forward in her second season. As a go-to shot creator and maker, Howard is the build-around that franchises dream about.
Beyond that, there are plenty of players to get excited about. McDonald, as mentioned took steps forward on both sides of the ball and did well to defer to her new star backcourt partner. Mo Billings remained glass cleaner, averaging two offensive rebounds per game.
The progress this team made did not go unnoticed. While they were not able to quite make it into the postseason, general manager Dan Padover realized it was time to take a swing.
Offseason Overview
Out: Kristy Wallace, Erica Wheeler, Tiffany Hayes
In: Danielle Robinson, Allisha Gray, Iliana Rupert
2023 Draft: #6, #8, #15
Re-Signed: AD Durr, Beatrice Mompremier, Nia Coffey, Monique Billings
Before getting into the biggest move of the offseason, the re-signings deserve some recognition. Billings is perfect for a team with plenty of elite young guards to fill in for the dirty work. AD Durr was traded for midseason and had to be the top priority in-house coming into free agency. Durr posted the best numbers of their short career after the move, averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 45.8 percent from distance. While they are likely to remain a bench player, Durr is the kind of player Atlanta should continue to develop.
However, before the draft (in which Atlanta has two first-round selections), the Dream brought in another possible All-Star at the cost of two first-round picks. Simply put, Allisha Gray is the type of player every reasonable franchise should be trying to bring in.
After spending her entire career with the Dallas Wings, it was clear a change of scenery was in store for Gray. She was an Olympic-level player in an AAU-level organization and deserved better. Gray will be able to duplicate a lot of the skills Howard brings to the table: shot blocking, steals, pesky defense, attacking the rim, cold-blooded shot-making.
Doubling down on some skill sets can be tricky. However, being able to trot out a guard and a forward pair who can both attack the rim and space the floor while being disruptors on the other end is the makings of a real core. The Dream may not be on the level of teams fielding five All-Stars, but they took the next step while making sure they would have at least two players in the conversation.
Prediction
The Dream have left the bottom-of-the-league tier. While LA is building with experience, the Dream are young and hungry. They already had an elite defensive unit and Allisha Gray will only improve that. While teams in the coming weeks look to fall down a little further, the Dream are clearly on the rise. Expect the Dream to be locked into the postseason. They will likely be finished around sixth in the league. Naz Hillmon, another rookie from last year, is going to be one of the most impactful bench bigs in the league. She was already showing signs as the season went along and this season is going to be her reminding fans of the dominant player she was at the University of Michigan.
It is not about title contention. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray have simpler goals this season. They will make the league take notice. Atlanta will become the type of franchise players and fans alike are forced to respect.
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