Five things to know about the Atlanta Dream ahead of 2025 season

Here are five things to know about the Dream as they prepare to kick off the 2025 season.

Jordin Canada’s injury

As the season begins, Canada’s right knee injury will be an issue to keep a close eye on. The 5-foot-6 guard suffered the injury in the Dream’s preseason matchup against the Mystics. Two days later, the team announced the two-time WNBA champion would be reevaluated in two weeks. An update regarding Canada’s status could come next week, possibly around the time of Atlanta’s home opener against the Fever at State Farm Arena.

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

While Canada might not be ready to return for the team’s home opener pending an update on her health, there’s a possibility she could still play in the Dream’s first back-to-back contests of the season — on May 24 against the Dallas Wings and on May 25 against the Connecticut Sun. If Canada has any say in the process, the league’s two-time steals leader will be eager to play. Last season, Canada — who missed the first 14 games of the season because of a hand injury before making her Dream debut on June 23 — said she was eager to build on the stride that she began to hit during Atlanta’s race for a playoff spot.

“I’m happy to be in a different position than where I was last year,” Canada told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution prior to her injury. “I’m really confident in Coach (Smesko) putting me in a position where I can read and feed off what my teammates need on the court. Things are different this season, and that has been very helpful.”

The Griner-Jones tandem

Both Griner and Jones provided a glimpse of what Atlanta’s floor spacing, along with their rebounding and offensive impact, could resemble this season in the Dream’s two exhibition games. Griner established her presence in the Mystics game, registering 16 points that included two 3-pointers, 10 rebounds and three assists. She was limited to two minutes of action against the Fever, as Atlanta elected to rest its starting center. Against Washington, Jones finished with six points, five rebounds and two assists. However, against Indiana, the three-time All-Star posted a stat line of 11 points that also included a 3-pointer, four rebounds and one assist.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Collectively, the two bigs combined for 20 of Atlanta’s 65 total rebounds in the two game span. They showed off their range from beyond the arc and the first half of the Dream’s game against the Mystics provided a reason for excitement in reference to Smesko’s agenda to space the floor, leaving Griner thrilled for what’s to come from the duo this season.

“Either one of us (Griner or Jones), we can interchange, pop in or go down low,” Griner said on a video call May 9. “The other team, you’ve got to pick your poison. Definitely don’t want to be them. Yeah, this is going to be a good partnership right here.”

Depth at point guard

With the absence of Canada for Atlanta’s first couple of games, it gives Walker-Kimbrough and rookie point guard Te-Hina Paopao a chance to gain quality minutes and showcase their ability to orchestrate the Dream’s offense. This could serve Atlanta well as the season unfolds because it provides the Dream with a veteran do-it-all point guard who is hungry to extend her role in the rotation for minutes.

It also allows the former South Carolina standout to get more acclimated with Smesko’s system for when her number is called in future games to lead the team offensively or generate points off the bench. Paopao led all Dream scorers with 14 points on 5-of-6 field goals, while adding two assists, one steal and one block in the team’s final preseason contest.

Five marquee games to circle on the Dream’s schedule

As the 44-game season gets underway, Atlanta — like other teams across the league — will face some teams multiple times throughout the season. For starters, the Dream will face each team in the Eastern Conference — the Fever, New York Liberty, the Mystics, Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky — at least once as part of the league’s Commissioner’s Cup between June 1 and June 17.

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Here are five games to highlight on the Dream’s schedule:

The Dream’s back-to-back games, busy August slate

Atlanta’s schedule consists of three occurrences of back-to-back games during the season with the first taking place later this month against the Wings and the Sun. The next two will take place in the latter part of July.

Nearly a week before the WNBA All-Star break, the Dream will open a stretch of nine games that include seven on the road, starting July 11 against the Fever. The first series of back-to-back games in July sits within the middle of the massive road trip with stops out West against the Aces on July 22 and the Mercury on July 23. The final back-to-back combo will conclude on the tail end of the nine-game stretch with a home game on July 29 against the Golden State Valkyries and a road game on July 30 against the Dallas Wings.

The month of July leads into a busy August for Atlanta. The Dream will play 12 games — the most of any month during the season — with six of them at home, tied for the monthly season high for games at home in June.