For the reason that conclusion of the 2020 WNBA season, the Atlanta Dream have undergone huge modifications.
Most significantly, they’ve new house owners, with former Dream participant Renee Montgomery joining an ownership group with Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair. Persevering with the overhaul, the group added Brooklyn Cartwright as Director of Basketball Operations and parted methods with President and Normal Supervisor Chris Sienko.
On the courtroom, the Dream additionally will look totally different.
Whereas Dream lifer Tiffany Hayes is returning after opting out of the 2020 season, she’ll solely discover two acquainted faces — Elizabeth Williams and Monique Billings. Hayes has but to take the courtroom with the brand new faces that Atlanta added final offseason — Chennedy Carter, Courtney Williams, Shekinna Stricklen and Kalani Brown.
The rest of the (doubtless) closing roster will probably be crammed out by extra new faces — Aari McDonald, Cheyenne Parker, Tianna Hawkins and Odyssey Sims.
To ensure that the Dream to exceed their tenth-place spot in Swish Appeal’s preseason power rankings, head coach Nicki Collen’s squad must shortly develop cohesion and camaraderie.
Listed here are two causes the Dream would possibly wrestle and two causes they could succeed:
A nightmare season?: Potential issues for the Atlanta Dream
1. The absence of a transparent group ethos
From the highest of the roster to the underside, the Dream have gifted gamers. However does this expertise translate right into a group? Extra critically, does it translate right into a constant, successful group?
Particularly, the dearth of familiarity between gamers, particularly amongst all of the backcourt choices, might lead to a “your flip, my flip” offense, with Tiffany Hayes, Chennedy Carter, Courtney Williams, Odyssey Sims and Aari McDonald taking turns searching for their very own shot out of isolations. Whereas isolation scoring might be efficient offense, it can also encourage different gamers to take a “rating first” offensive method, as new frontcourt additions Cheyenne Parker and Tianna Hawkins additionally will need to benefit from their touches.
Instilling a team-centric system will probably be a vital, difficult job for head coach Nicki Collen.
2. Can Tiffany Hayes be a real celebrity?
In 2018, Tiffany Hayes turned in a superstar-level season, incomes All-WNBA honors for her superior efforts.
In 2019, with no Angel McCoughtry as a co-star, Hayes did not rediscover her 2018 kind, with nagging accidents and an unfriendly whistle sinking her offensive effectivity and effectiveness.
After a season-long absence, the Dream want the 2018 model of Hayes. For all the flashes Chennedy Carter confirmed throughout her rookie season and all the pleasure about what Aari McDonald would possibly do throughout her rookie season, that is nonetheless Tiffany Hayes’ group. As she goes, the Dream will go.
A real celebrity is a prerequisite to group success within the WNBA. The Dream thus want Hayes to method celebrity highs if they’re to be within the thick of the playoff chase. Hayes’ prior performances within the WNBA encourage each confidence and warning about her capacity to persistently set up herself as an upper-echelon participant and, in flip, take the Dream into the postseason.
Dreamin’ huge!: Factors of promise for the Atlanta Dream
1. Optionality and alternative
As a substitute of fretting a couple of assortment of gamers with competing agendas, the optionality and flexibility of the Dream roster needs to be thought of an thrilling benefit.
Collen can deploy a number of fascinating lineup combos, adjusting her personnel and technique relying on recreation conditions. As an illustration, a fivesome of Tiffany Hayes, Aari McDonald, Odyssey Sims, Monique Billings and Elizabeth Williams might convey high-intensity protection. In distinction, a gaggle of Chennedy Carter, Courtney Williams, Shekinna Stricklen, Tianna Hawkins and Cheyenne Parker might supply explosive scoring.
If Collen can maximize the Dream’s many abilities in varied combos, they may very well be an extremely irritating matchup for opponents, shapeshifting into totally different types of play all through a contest.
2. Tremendous-charged Cheyenne Parker
Whereas a less-heralded free company signing than the opposite C. Parker, Cheyenne Parker brings a model of frontcourt offensive dynamism to Atlanta that the Dream have lacked for the reason that days of Érika de Souza.
Final season with the Chicago Sky, Parker assumed an expanded offensive function, having fun with the perfect season of her profession. In practically 25 minutes per recreation, she averaged a career-high 13.four factors, with a profession excessive 59.7 good efficient area aim proportion. She even flashed a Three-point shot, changing 46.9 p.c of her 32 whole makes an attempt. Parker moreover averaged profession highs in rebounds and assists, grabbing 6.four boards and swiping 1.Three steals per recreation.
In a league with various ferocious put up gamers, she additionally brings wanted fireplace and feistiness to the Atlanta frontcourt. Even when they nonetheless lack elite inside measurement, the mix of the edgy Parker with the strong Elizabeth Williams ought to higher equip the Dream to battle within the paint.