High Post Hoops’ Top 20 WNBA players, ranked for 2019

12. Tiffany Hayes

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 2: Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Atlanta Dream handles the ball against the Atlanta Dream during Game Four of the WNBA Semifinals on September 2, 2018 at the Charles Smith Center at George Washington University in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

For much of 2018, the conversation around Tiffany Hayes centered on a lack of respect — first her omission from the all star team, then once she served as the signature star on an Atlanta Dream team that finished a game short of the WNBA finals, the larger question of where she fits in the constellation of WNBA greats. Early in 2019, ironically, she’s displayed this vital role in reverse, with a slow start coinciding with Atlanta’s early struggles. For Hayes and the Dream to be at their best, she needs to be a volume scorer, getting to the free throw line, and recognizing opportunities to distribute to teammates around the three-point line while serving as a versatile defender on opposing wings and guards. That’s asking a lot, but she was up to it in 2018 for the second season running. This ranking reflects a belief that she’ll quickly return to that level here in 2019, too.