Basketball
The Atlanta Dream have revamped this season. They hired former FGCU women’s basketball head coach Karl Smesko and signed players like Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. There were many questions about the fit of Griner and Jones in particular, given Smesko’s style of play when he coached in the NCAA. Coming from a system that prioritized perimeter shooting, bringing in two dominant post players like Griner and Jones seemed… odd?
How would that even work? Who would start? Would Smesko still expect these players to shoot threes? All are valid questions fans were asking before Atlanta’s first preseason game against the Mystics. With an 11:30 a.m. ET tipoff to accommodate a field trip day for local students, West Coast fans were probably still waiting for their coffee to fully start working when the game started.
They probably even rubbed their eyes to make sure they weren’t seeing things when Atlanta’s first play was a Griner three-pointer from the top of the key. She MADE the shot, too. Griner is a career 36.4% three-point shooter who has only taken 44 threes in her 11-year career prior to this season… so it’s fair to say that hasn’t really been her shot.
First Atlanta Dream possession of the Smesko Era.
Middle PnR with Jordin Canada and Brittney Griner, but look at the spacing.
Bri Jones starts on the wing with Rhyne Howard, dives to the basket late. Allisha Gray in the other corner. Lot of space for Canada to explore. pic.twitter.com/0fqJHopSaW
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) May 7, 2025
The reactions online reflected the shock of THAT being the team’s first play of the season:
Immediate BG three from the top of the key — Smeskoball is here!
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) May 7, 2025
Two MAKES in the first three minutes I SEE YOU BG
— Jamie Steyer Johnson (@jsteyz) May 7, 2025
I still can’t believe the league let Atlanta get BG *and* Bri Jones
— mads (@phxsunz25) May 7, 2025
Griner then hit another three, scoring 10 points to help the Dream gain a double-digit lead before the first quarter was over. If she can keep up those elevated skills while also continuing to be a dominant force under the rim on both sides of the court? Atlanta will rise in the league’s power rankings (and, possibly, standings) quickly. Plus, having Jones to go to when BG sits on the bench is incredibly valuable for the Dream.
There are still questions on how this team will operate with BOTH Jones and Griner on the court at the same time. It will also be important to see how the Dream compete against the top teams of the league — Las Vegas, New York, Minnesota and Indiana in particular.
Unfortunately, the beginning of the Dream’s first game also included another injury. Jordin Canada went down on a drive, hurting her knee. She was taken back to the locker room, and it was announced shortly after that she would not be returning to the game.
Atlanta’s newest player, Shyanne Sellers, who the team claimed off waivers from Golden State, has not yet joined the team and was not active for this game.
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