2025 Atlanta Dream season
WNBA team season
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The 2025 Atlanta Dream season was the 18th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association, and their first season under head coach, Karl Smesko.
| 2025 Atlanta Dream season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Karl Smesko |
| Arena | Gateway Center Arena State Farm Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 30–14 (.682) |
| Place | 1st (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | 3rd seed Lost in First Round 1–2 to Indiana Fever |
The Dream started the season with a road loss to Washington 90–94 before defeating Indiana 91–90 on the road. They would lose the home rematch to Indiana before ending May on a four game winning streak. The highlight of the streak was a 79–55 defeat of Connecticut. The streak ended in the first game of June where they lost at Connecticut to begin Commissioner's Cup play. They would win their next three Commissioner's Cup games, including a thirty-three point victory over Washington. They lost their final Cup game 81–86 to New York to finish 3–2 and not qualify for the Final. They finished June 3–2, defeating Washington, Chicago, and New York. They lost the only two games they played against the Western Conference in the month, against Dallas and Minnesota, the latter coming in overtime. The Dream continued to play .500 basketball as they went 2–3 in their final games before the All-Star Break. They suffered a one-point loss to Seattle and a six-point loss to New York over that stretch. However, in the same streak they defeated Chicago by thirty-nine points. After the All-Star Break they went 3–2 to finish July with a 5–5 overall record. They lost to Las Vegas and Golden State over that stretch, while defeating Phoenix, Minnesota, and Dallas. The Dream went on a five-game winning streak to begin August before losing the 2025 WNBA Canada game to Seattle. They won four of their next six games in August to finish the month 9–3. Their losses were both to Las Vegas over this stretch. They also earned a two-point win over Minnesota. The Dream finished September 5–0, defeating Connecticut three times and Los Angeles twice.
The Dream's 30–14 regular season recorded earned them the third seed in the 2025 WNBA playoffs, their highest seed since 2018. The Dream were matched with the sixth-seed Indiana in the first round. The Dream won the first game convincingly, 80–68 at home. The series moved to Indiana for game two, which the Fever won 77–60. Game three returned to Atlanta and was the closest game of the series. The Dream led by seven points at halftime, but could not convert that lead into victory, as they lost 85–87 to be eliminated from the Playoffs.
Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Club | Outcome | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 18 | Te-Hina Paopao | G |  United States |
South Carolina | Signed rookie contract April 18 Made opening day roster |
[1][2] |
| 3 | 36 | Taylor Thierry | F | Ohio State | [2][3] |
Transactions
Front office and coaching
| Date | Details | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2024 | Fired head coach, Tanisha Wright | [4] |
| November 13, 2024 | Hired Karl Smesko as head coach | [5] |
| January 6, 2025 | Hired LaToya Sanders and Brandi Poole as assistant coaches | [6] |
| Promoted Brooklyn Cartwright to assistant general manager | ||
| March 17, 2025 | Hired Hannah Kronick Spencer as Vice President of Marketing and Consumer Insights | [7] |
| Hired Kaila Pettis as Senior Director of Brand and Creative | ||
| March 31, 2025 | Hired Chelsea Lyles and Camryn Brown as assistant coaches | [8] |
| April 24, 2025 | Promoted Katie Buria to Head Athletic Trainer | [9] |
| Hired Taylor Javey as an assistant athletic trainer | ||
| Hired Shannon Jackson as a strength and conditioning coach | ||
| Promoted Parker Sizemore to Data Analyst and Performance Coordinator | ||
| Promoted Sydney Durrah to Senior Manager of Basketball Systems and Player Content Operations | ||
| Hired Sheahen Dowling as special assistant to the head coach | ||
| August 14, 2025 | Hired Traci Messier as Vice President of Communications and External Affairs | [10] |
Free agency
Re-signed
| Player | Date | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Caldwell | January 18, 2025 | Training camp contract | [11] |
Additions
| Player | Date | Notes | Former Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | February 1 | One-year deal | Washington Mystics | [12] |
| Brittney Griner | Phoenix Mercury | [13] | ||
| Brionna Jones | Connecticut Sun | [14] | ||
| Holly Winterburn | February 5 | Training camp contract | Beşiktaş HDI Sigorta (Turkey) |
[15] |
| Ashley Joens | March 6 | Athinaikos AS Vurona (Greece) |
[16] | |
| Maria Gakdeng | April 17 | North Carolina Tar Heels | [17][18] | |
| Emani Jefferson | Florida Gulf Coast Eagles | [17] | ||
| Te-Hina Paopao | April 18 | Rookie contract (2025 draft pick – No. 18) |
South Carolina Gamecocks | [1] |
| Taylor Thierry | Rookie contract (2025 draft pick – No. 36) |
Ohio State Buckeyes | [3] | |
| DeYona Gaston | April 27 | Training camp contract | Auburn Tigers | [19] |
| Shyanne Sellers | May 5 | Awarded off waivers | Golden State Valkyries | [20] |
| Kamiah Smalls | August 1 | 7-day contract | Galatasaray (Turkey) |
[21] |
| August 8 | ||||
| Sika Koné | August 15 | Rest of season contract | Free agent | [22] |
Subtractions / unsigned
| Player | Date | Reason | New Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maite Cazorla | January 16, 2022 | Suspended contract – expired | — | |
| Ezinne Kalu | October 2, 2024 | Free agency – unrestricted | Zhejiang Golden Bulls (China) |
[23] |
| Iliana Rupert | December 6, 2024 | Expansion draft | Golden State Valkyries | [24] |
| Danielle Robinson | January 1, 2025 | Retired | N/A | [25][26] |
| Lorela Cubaj | January 15, 2025 | Free agency – reserved (qualifying offer extended) |
Not signed – retained rights | [27] |
| Laeticia Amihere | February 1, 2025 | Waived | Golden State Valkyries | [28][29] |
| Tina Charles | February 2, 2025 | Free agency – uncoreable unrestricted | Connecticut Sun | [30] |
| Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | February 6, 2025 | Free agency – unrestricted | Las Vegas Aces | [31] |
| Holly Winterburn | April 7, 2025 | Suspended contract – full season | N/A – retained rights | [32] |
| DeYona Gaston | May 5, 2025 | Waived | — | [33] |
| Maria Gakdeng | May 8, 2025 | — | [34] | |
| Emani Jefferson | — | |||
| Ashley Joens | May 10, 2025 | — | [35] | |
| Shyanne Sellers | May 12, 2025 | — | [36] | |
| Haley Jones | May 14, 2025 | Dallas Wings | [37] | |
| Aerial Powers | June 10, 2025 | Free agency – unrestricted | Golden State Valkyries | [38] |
| Kamiah Smalls | August 13, 2025 | Released | — |
Roster
| 2025 Atlanta Dream roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth chart
Schedule
Preseason
| 2025 pre-season game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–0)
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| 2025 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
| 2025 game log Total: 30–14 (Home: 16–6; Road: 14–8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 5–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 3–1)
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June
: 6–4 (Home: 5–1; Road: 1–3)
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July
: 5–5 (Home: 1–2; Road: 4–3)
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August
: 9–3 (Home: 5–2; Road: 4–1)
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September
: 5–0 (Home: 3–0; Road: 2–0)
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| 2025 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
- Games highlighted in ██ represent Commissioner's Cup games.
- Game highlighted in ██ represents the 2025 WNBA Canada game.
Playoffs
| 2025 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First round vs. Indiana Fever Lost Series 1–2
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 playoff schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yx – Minnesota Lynx | 34 | 10 | .773 | – | 20–4 | 20–2 | 14–8 | 5–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | 16–8 | 17–5 | 13–9 | 2–4 |
| 3 | x – Atlanta Dream | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | 15–6 | 16–6 | 14–8 | 3–2 |
| 4 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | 13–11 | 15–7 | 12–10 | 4–2 |
| 5 | x – New York Liberty | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | 15–5 | 17–5 | 10–12 | 4–1 |
| 6 | cx – Indiana Fever | 24 | 20 | .545 | 10 | 13–8 | 13–9 | 11–11 | 4–1 |
| 7 | x – Seattle Storm | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | 12–12 | 10–12 | 13–9 | 4–2 |
| 8 | x – Golden State Valkyries | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | 9–15 | 14–8 | 9–13 | 3–3 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 21 | 23 | .477 | 13 | 10–14 | 9–13 | 12–10 | 2–4 |
| 10 | e – Washington Mystics | 16 | 28 | .364 | 18 | 8–12 | 10–12 | 6–16 | 2–3 |
| 11 | e – Connecticut Sun | 11 | 33 | .250 | 23 | 7–14 | 7–15 | 4–18 | 1–4 |
| 12 | e – Chicago Sky | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | 4–17 | 6–16 | 4–18 | 1–4 |
| 13 | e – Dallas Wings | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | 4–20 | 6–16 | 4–18 | 1–5 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- c – Commissioner's Cup winners
- y – Regular Season Champion
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from playoff contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Playoffs
| First Round: Best-of-3 | Semifinals: Best-of-5 | Finals: Best-of-7 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Golden State Valkyries | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Phoenix Mercury | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Phoenix Mercury | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Liberty | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Phoenix Mercury | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Seattle Storm | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Indiana Fever | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Atlanta Dream | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Indiana Fever | 2 | ||||||||||||
- Bold – Series winner
- Italic – Team with home-court-advantage
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Source:[39]
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyne Howard | 33 | 32 | 34.9 | 37.5% | 32.2% | 85.6% | 4.5 | 4.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 17.5 |
| Allisha Gray | 42 | 42 | 34.5 | 45.1% | 38.4% | 79.9% | 5.3 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 18.4 |
| Jordin Canada | 28 | 26 | 28.0 | 39.6% | 29.1% | 76.0% | 3.3 | 5.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 11.2 |
| Brionna Jones | 44 | 44 | 26.6 | 52.7% | 26.1% | 77.3% | 7.3 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 12.8 |
| Naz Hillmon | 44 | 17 | 25.5 | 46.3% | 32.1% | 83.1% | 6.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 8.6 |
| Brittney Griner | 39 | 25 | 20.8 | 51.8% | 26.3% | 76.5% | 5.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 9.8 |
| Maya Caldwell | 41 | 16 | 18.5 | 42.6% | 35.5% | 80.0% | 3.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 5.4 |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 43 | 15 | 16.7 | 44.0% | 38.6% | 53.8% | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 5.8 |
| Nia Coffey | 44 | 2 | 10.3 | 37.4% | 29.3% | 72.0% | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 3.9 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 41 | 1 | 8.6 | 41.3% | 35.5% | 72.7% | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.7 |
| Taylor Thierry | 17 | 0 | 2.1 | 18.2% | 33.3% | 25.0% | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | — | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Sika Koné | 8 | 0 | 1.4 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.1 | 0.1 | — | — | — | 0.5 |
| Kamiah Smalls | 3 | 0 | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyne Howard | 3 | 3 | 35.0 | 36.4% | 27.3% | 72.7% | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 15.3 |
| Naz Hillmon | 3 | 3 | 34.0 | 46.2% | 30.8% | 71.4% | 8.7 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 11.0 |
| Allisha Gray | 3 | 3 | 33.0 | 38.3% | 25.0% | 90.0% | 8.3 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 16.0 |
| Brionna Jones | 3 | 3 | 28.3 | 66.7% | 50.0% | 75.0% | 4.7 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 10.7 |
| Jordin Canada | 3 | 3 | 27.0 | 37.9% | 0.0% | 28.6% | 2.3 | 6.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 8.0 |
| Maya Caldwell | 3 | 0 | 13.3 | 42.9% | 33.3% | — | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.3 |
| Brittney Griner | 3 | 0 | 10.7 | 40.0% | — | 66.7% | 1.0 | 1.3 | — | 0.3 | 0.7 | 4.7 |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 3 | 0 | 9.7 | 53.3% | 37.5% | — | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Nia Coffey | 3 | 0 | 5.3 | 20.0% | 0.0% | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | 0.7 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | — |
| Taylor Thierry | 1 | 0 | 2.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sika Koné | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | 0.5 | — | — | — | 1.0 | — |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allisha Gray | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | June 3 | [40] |
| June 17 | [41] | ||
| August 12 | [42] | ||
| Eastern Conference Player of the Month – May | June 4 | [43] | |
| WNBA All-Star Starter | June 30 | [44] | |
| Eastern Conference Player of the Month – June | July 3 | [45] | |
| Eastern Conference Player of the Month – August | September 3 | [46] | |
| AP All-WNBA First Team | September 12 | [47] | |
| WNBA Most Valuable Player Top 5 Finalist | September 19 | [48] | |
| All-WNBA First Team | October 10 | [49] | |
| Naz Hillmon | AP Sixth Woman of the Year | September 12 | [47] |
| WNBA Sixth Player of the Year | September 20 | [50] | |
| Rhyne Howard | WNBA All-Star Reserve | July 7 | [51] |
| Eastern Conference Player of the Week | September 2 | [52] | |
| September 12 | [53] | ||
| WNBA All-Defensive Second Team | October 8 | [54] | |
| Brionna Jones | WNBA All-Star Reserve (replacement player) | July 17 | [55] |
| Dan Padover | WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year | September 23 | [56] |