Last season, the Atlanta Dream returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2018, a meaningful point of progress for the organization in its second season under general manager Dan Padover and head coach Tanisha Wright.
Yet, the step forward was a bit of a stumble forward. While Atlanta earned the No. 5 seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs, they finished under .500. After winning their seventh game in a row on July 18, they won only seven more games the rest of the regular season, going 7-15 over the second half of the season. The team’s stay in the playoffs also was short-lived, as they were swept by the Dallas Wings.
The muddle of positives and not-so positives is appropriate for a team that was consistently inconsistent, with flashes of promise too often followed by frustration. In 2024, consistency should be the primary priority for the Dream, establishing a foundation of game-to-game good basketball that, in future seasons, blossoms into great basketball. Because, despite the offseason additions of Jordin Canada, Tina Charles and Aerial Powers, it’s unrealistic to believe that the Dream can contend with the league’s super teams. However, it should be expected that the Dream take a demonstrable step toward becoming a team that, sooner than later, confidently can challenge the W’s best.
Three reasons it could be a Dream season in Atlanta
AU Allisha Gray
During the 2024 AU season, Allisha Gray was golden.
Competing in Athletes Unlimited for the second time, Gray appeared to arrive in Dallas intent on proving that she was the best player on the court, game in and game out. And she succeeded. Gray authored the best season in AU history, earning MVP honors as she played with discernible drive and determination. She was a two-way force who expected to dominate.
It’s that attitude, as much as the output, that should have Dream fans excited to see what Gray can do in the 2024 WNBA season. She’s a player who has gotten better every season of her career, and it seems like 2024 will be no different. Her sharpened sense of purpose, in particular, will be valuable to a Dream team that too often fell into listless stretches last season. When things get shaky and squishy for Atlanta, they need that AU-version of Gray to both stabilize and strengthen the team, playing with an assured authority that demands that her teammates similarly raise their play.
A refined Rhyne Howard
Rhyne…
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