The Dream took the WNBA by storm with a revamped roster and rookie head coach Karl Smesko. While the Dream may not have found much playoff success, they laid the foundation for future success. Smesko smoothly transitioned from college to the WNBA, and Allisha Gray and Naz Hillmon had career years in his system.
Gray made the jump from All-Star to MVP candidate, and Hillmon completely reinvented her game by adding a 3-point shot to her arsenal. Hillmon had been a non-shooter for three seasons, but came out firing in 2025. She took 3.8 threes per game, converting 32.1% of them. That skill made Hillmon an integral part of the Dream’s success, and she eventually replaced Brittney Griner in the starting lineup since her shooting made her a better fit next to Bri Jones.
After her Sixth Player of the Year campaign in the W, Hillmon will make her full Unrivaled debut with the Laces. Hillmon already acted as an injury replacement last season, but wasn’t one of the original players signed to Unrivaled. Playing in Unrivaled should help Hillmon build on her improvements and that could be the best thing possible for the Dream, as they try to make it past the first round next season.
Naz Hillmon will get to work on her game in Unrivaled
Playing in Unrivaled means that Hillmon will spend a big part of her offseason from the WNBA competing with and against some of the best players in the world. The Laces have a veteran-heavy roster and four second-year Unrivaled players in Alyssa Thomas, Jackie Young, Jordin Canada, and Brittney Sykes.
That roster creates the perfect environment for Hillmon to thrive and continue to work on her newfound skills. Thomas, Young, Canada, and Sykes are all skilled playmakers, meaning that the ball will definitely get to Hillmon when she is open. The Laces also can’t afford for Hillmon to pass up on any shots, especially from three.
Sykes, Thomas, Canada, and Maddy Siegrist aren’t great 3-point shooters, even though the latter upped her volume and accuracy in the 2025 WNBA season. So, Young and Hillmon will have to work especially hard to space the floor. That should help Hillmon improve even more as an outside shooter.
Hillmon will be key to the Dream’s future success
Like most WNBA teams, Atlanta doesn’t have many players under contract for the 2026 season. Te-Hina Paopao and Taylor Thierry are still on their rookie contracts. Brittney Griner, Bri Jones, Jordin Canada, and Allisha Gray will all hit unrestricted free agency while Rhyne Howard and Naz Hillmon will be restricted free agents.
The Dream will undoubtedly try to re-sign Jones, Canada, Gray, Howard, and Hillmon, and scour the free agency market for other talent that could help the team find playoff success.
If Hillmon comes into the next WNBA season even better than she was in 2025, it would make the Dream’s quest to compete for a championship much easier.