The Atlanta Dream have revamped this season. They employed former FGCU ladies’s basketball head coach Karl Smesko and signed gamers like Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. There have been many questions on the match of Griner and Jones particularly, given Smesko’s model of play when he coached within the NCAA. Coming from a system that prioritized perimeter taking pictures, bringing in two dominant submit gamers like Griner and Jones appeared… odd?
How would that even work? Who would begin? Would Smesko nonetheless count on these gamers to shoot threes? All are legitimate questions followers have been asking earlier than Atlanta’s first preseason sport towards the Mystics. With an 11:30 a.m. ET tipoff to accommodate a discipline journey day for native college students, West Coast followers have been most likely nonetheless ready for his or her espresso to completely begin working when the sport began.
They most likely even rubbed their eyes to ensure they weren’t seeing issues when Atlanta’s first play was a Griner three-pointer from the highest of the important thing. She MADE the shot, too. Griner is a profession 36.4% three-point shooter who has solely taken 44 threes in her 11-year profession previous to this season… so it’s truthful to say that hasn’t actually been her shot.
First Atlanta Dream possession of the Smesko Period.
Center PnR with Jordin Canada and Brittney Griner, however take a look at the spacing.
Bri Jones begins on the wing with Rhyne Howard, dives to the basket late. Allisha Grey within the different nook. Lot of house for Canada to discover. pic.twitter.com/0fqJHopSaW
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) Might 7, 2025
The reactions on-line mirrored the shock of THAT being the staff’s first play of the season:
Speedy BG three from the highest of the important thing — Smeskoball is right here!
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) Might 7, 2025
Two MAKES within the first three minutes I SEE YOU BG
— Jamie Steyer Johnson (@jsteyz) Might 7, 2025
I nonetheless can’t imagine the league let Atlanta get BG *and* Bri Jones
— mads (@phxsunz25) Might 7, 2025
Griner then hit one other three, scoring 10 factors to assist the Dream acquire a double-digit lead earlier than the primary quarter was over. If she will sustain these elevated abilities whereas additionally persevering with to be a dominant power below the rim on either side of the courtroom? Atlanta will rise within the league’s energy rankings (and, presumably, standings) rapidly. Plus, having Jones to go to when BG sits on the bench is extremely useful for the Dream.
There are nonetheless questions on how this staff will function with BOTH Jones and Griner on the courtroom on the similar time. It would even be necessary to see how the Dream compete towards the highest groups of the league — Las Vegas, New York, Minnesota and Indiana particularly.
Sadly, the start of the Dream’s first sport additionally included one other damage. Jordin Canada went down on a drive, hurting her knee. She was taken again to the locker room, and it was introduced shortly after that she wouldn’t be returning to the sport.
Atlanta’s latest participant, Shyanne Sellers, who the staff claimed off waivers from Golden State, has not but joined the staff and was not energetic for this sport.
