WNBA · Eastern Conference · College Park, Georgia, US
The Atlanta Dream have been a fixture in the Southeast since 2008, reaching three WNBA Finals in their early years and now building toward a new era of competitiveness under new ownership.
Updated March 16, 2026
After firing Tanisha Wright following back-to-back first-round playoff exits, the Dream hired Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast, where he compiled a remarkable .845 winning percentage over 23 seasons. Smesko enters his second WNBA season with a roster he has now reshaped around Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, and the front office is signaling that 2026 is the year this rebuild starts producing deeper playoff results.
The 2022 No. 1 overall pick has steadily improved each season and is now the unquestioned centerpiece in Atlanta. Howard averaged over 18 points per game last season and added a more consistent three-point stroke. At 25, she enters 2026 as one of the most dangerous two-way guards in the league.