The Atlanta Dream, once a dominant force in the WNBA, has experienced a significant decline in recent years. What was once a team brimming with potential and championship aspirations has morphed into a franchise struggling to find its identity.
In the early 2010s, the Dream was a dominant force in the WNBA. Led by star players like Angel McCoughtry and Tiffany Hayes, the team consistently made deep playoff runs. McCoughtry, a perennial All-Star, averaged a dominant 21.4 points per game in 2013, leading the team to the WNBA Finals. Their 2013 Finals appearance was a testament to their talent and potential.
However, the mid-2010s brought a series of setbacks. A combination of factors, including devastating injuries to key players, coaching carousels, and significant roster turnover, contributed to their struggles. The once-proud franchise missed the playoffs multiple times, leaving fans frustrated and questioning the team’s direction.
A glimmer of hope emerged in 2020, when the Dream, under the guidance of new head coach Nicki Collen, experienced a resurgence. The acquisition of Elizabeth Williams and the emergence of talents like Chennedy Carter and Betnijah Laney propelled the team to the playoffs.
“That 2020 season was special. We had a great group of players and coaches who were all bought into the system,” Betnijah Laney, a key contributor to the team’s success, noted. “It was a fun season to be a part of.”
However, the 2020 resurgence proved to be a fleeting moment of success. The following years saw the Dream regress, plagued by inconsistent performances and injuries to key players. The addition of highly-touted draft picks like Rhyne Howard failed to ignite the team’s spark. The 2024 season was a stark reminder of the challenges faced by WNBA teams when key players are sidelined. The Dream’s reliance on a few key players and their lack of depth proved to be their undoing.
Injuries to key players like Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard significantly impacted the team’s performance. The absence of these two stars exposed the team’s lack of depth, particularly at the guard position. Haley Jones, despite her talent, was overextended as the starting point guard, leading to her efforts being insufficient.
Injuries weren’t the only factor that contributed to this egregious season. The factors extend beyond the backcourt onto the bench. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Aerial Powers, both key contributors, were sidelined for significant portions of the season. Parker-Tyus struggled to replicate her 2023 All-Star form, and her pairing with Tina Charles proved to be an ill-fit. Powers, while talented, lacked consistency and failed to provide the necessary spark off the bench.
The 2024 season was arguably Atlanta Dream’s worst season. Their reliance on a few key players and their lack of depth encouraged their downfall. As the season concluded, the team’s inability to capitalize on their defensive strengths and generate consistent offense led to numerous losses. Former coach Tanisha Wright summed up the team’s struggles succinctly:
“We just couldn’t put it all together this season. We had a lot of close games that we weren’t able to finish,” she said. “We need to improve our consistency and execution on both ends of the floor.”
The future of the Atlanta Dream hangs in the balance but only time will tell if the Dream can rise from the ashes and reclaim their former glory, or if they will continue to fade into obscurity.
