The last time the Atlanta Dream made it past the first round of the playoffs was in 2018 when they lost in the semifinals. Atlanta’s 2025 roster seemed destined to change that. Led by Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, and rookie head coach Karl Smesko, the Dream took the league by storm. They finished third in the regular-season standings, just behind the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.
The team didn’t live up to its potential in the playoffs, though. The injury-ridden Indiana Fever surprisingly eliminated the Dream in the first round, marking the third consecutive year that Atlanta lost in the earliest stages of the playoffs.
Nevertheless, the future is still bright. It seems unlikely that Gray, Howard, and Jones will go anywhere in free agency, and the biggest free agency period in recent memory will provide the Dream with plenty of opportunities to build a championship contender around the trio. Luring Nneka Ogwumike away from the Seattle Storm, for example, could quickly lead to some playoff success for the Dream.
Nneka Ogwumike would be a strong addition to the Dream’s core
Nneka Ogwumike spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Storm. She was surrounded by other All-Stars, but the team still didn’t find any playoff success. Now, the Storm also hired a rookie head coach, bringing in Sonia Raman to replace Noelle Quinn, and might want to focus more on Dominique Malonga than any of the team’s veterans. Thus, Ogwumike may want to look at other options in free agency. If she does, she would be an interesting fit in Atlanta.
Ahead of the 2025 season, the Dream signed Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner in free agency. It quickly became evident that the duo wasn’t an ideal fit next to each other, since neither can space the floor, and Naz Hillmon started all three playoff games ahead of Brittney Griner. The former Phoenix Mercury star had the worst statistical season of her career, averaging 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds compared to 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in the 2024 season. It was, in fact, the first time that Griner averaged fewer than 12 points and six rebounds per game.
Ogwumike, on the other hand, put together another All-Star season and is still one of the most consistent players in the league. She also drastically increased her 3-point volume in the 2025 season. She converted 36.7% of her 4.1 attempts per game. That kind of 3-point shooting would make Ogwumike an interesting fit next to Bri Jones while also offering the same experience and championship pedigree Griner brought to the table in 2025.
Getting Ogwumike to Atlanta won’t be an easy task, though. If she is open to leaving Seattle, she will draw a lot of interest from all across the league.