NFL
By: Nick Andre
May 14 begins a new chapter. The WNBA season officially kicks off as fans anticipate a fun, competitive 40-game slate for each team. There’s a lot of stories that fans anticipate to watch. Can the Las Vegas three-peat as WNBA champions? Will Caitlin Clark exceed expectations as a rookie? A storyline that tends to get lost is the elevation of the Atlanta Dream this season.
Atlanta is a fun place to be during the summer. There are several events taking place and the culture is amazing. The Dream have cemented themselves as a part of the culture in Atlanta since they arrived in 2008. They’ve been to multiple WNBA Finals appearances and have always found themselves as one of the top attractions in the city.
Since Rhyne Howard’s arrival, the Dream have found themselves traveling in the right direction. There’s a reason why she was selected number one in her Draft Class. Rhyne Howard is a natural-born leader. She always sets the tone for her team offensively. It’s shown throughout her first few seasons in the WNBA as she’s an elite all-around scorer and has continued to take strides defensively.
Last season, the Dream added to their roster by giving Howard a partner at the wing position. Allisha Gray was one of the biggest offseason acquisitions in the WNBA last year. Gray is a player who has played next with some of the best players and has won at the highest level. In college, she had the luxury of playing under head coach Dawn Staley while also being teammates with A’ja Wilson at South Carolina. With that being said, Gray became an NCAA Champion in 2017.
Since that point, Gray looked to find her footing in the WNBA. She spent six seasons with the Dallas Wings and shined as one of the top scorers on the team next to Arike Ogunbowale. While Gray had shining moments in Dallas, playing in Atlanta has allowed her to maximize her game playing next to Howard. She averaged a career-high 17.1 points per game and became an All-Star for the first time in her career.
Then there was Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, the woman in the middle who made everything happen. Parker-Tyus had evolved as one of the best post players in the WNBA. She displays tremendous size, footwork, and efficiency to score anywhere on the floor. As the third option, Parker-Tyus also became a first-time All-Star in 2023, averaging a career-high 15 points and 6.7 rebounds.
With those three stars leading the way, alongside a great supporting cast of Aari McDonald, Danielle Robinson, Naz Hillmon, Nia Coffey, and others, the Dream advanced to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. Unfortunately, they weren’t prepared for the war of the postseason as they were swept by the Wings in the first round. Despite the loss, it was an improved season for the Dream. At one point, they went on a seven-game winning streak and looked like one of the best teams in the WNBA. Sure, they had their ups and downs but the Dream was leading through the growing pains to become better as a unit.
The offseason was an important time for the Dream front office to make improvements. They were impressed by what took place during the 2023 season but knew they had areas to improve upon. One thing that the Dream needed moving forward was key veterans who have played at a high level. It wasn’t going to be easy finding one or two veterans but the Dream worked persistently to find who could fit the personnel of this team.
Many people remember the name Tina Charles. She had a sensational college career at UConn and eventually became a WNBA MVP in her third season. As Charles’ career is on the back end, she’s still very passionate about the game of basketball. She took last season off to rest and refocus and now she’s excited about her new journey in Atlanta.
The question is why did Charles choose the Dream as her next landing spot? The answer comes down to relationships. Charles played next to Dream head coach Tanisha Wright in New York and understands the type of player and coach she is. Charles also understands that her veteran leadership can also play a huge role in the team’s success.
Another key veteran signing was Aerial Powers. After a sour ending to her tenure in Minnesota, the question was what’s next? Powers understood that she could still compete at a high level. She’s a WNBA champion and has been through the wars of many playoff battles. Coach Wright and the front office had confidence in Powers and understood how valuable she could be to their young team.
In the Dream’s preseason action against the Indiana Fever, we saw great things from Powers. She’s still an elite, all-around scorer with tremendous size at the wing position. Powers can play as a spot-up shooter and a shot creator depending on what lineup she’s placed in. It will be a luxury for Aerial Powers to play next to elite wing scorers like Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Those three alone will give defense nightmares with their ability to score at all three levels.
Then there’s Jordin Canada, a veteran point guard who is known as one of the fiercest competitors in the WNBA. Adding Canada to the Dream’s roster was a steal. Great scorers like Howard, Gray, Powers, and Parker-Tyus deserve a floor general who can set the table while being able to create her own shot. Jordin Canada can do all of that and then some.
Before last season, Canada had been preparing for her moment for a while. From being a star at UCLA to being a backup point guard for Sue Bird in Seattle, Canada has learned what it took to win at a high level. Her journey allowed her to shine with the Los Angeles Sparks last season, averaging a career-high 13.3 along with six assists and 2.3 steals.
Throughout last season, Canada showed that she can take matters into her own hands. If you need a player to be in control of the offense, she’s capable of that. Not to mention, she showed her clutch gene last season by hitting a game-winning three against the Indiana Fever. Canada is just what the Dream needed as a starting point guard, who is experienced, feisty, and knows how to win at a high level.
Adding the key signing with the rest of the supporting cast, the Dream have a roster that can compete with any team in the WNBA. As the season begins, they will be battle-tested. How will they match up against the two-time defending champion Aces, who won all four matchups last season? The Dream also fell to New York multiple times last year as well. The Dream will learn themselves as a collective once they go against some of the WNBA’s best. If they succeed, it’ll prove they’re one of the top competitors in the league.
The Atlanta Dream’s season kicks off Wednesday night in a matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks at 10 pm ET. They play their first home game on May 21 in a rematch against the Dallas Wings.
