Dream announce contract extension for Cheyenne Parker

Dream guard Rhyne Howard (left) gets five from forward Cheyenne Parker after making a 3-pointer during a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks during their home opener in a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in College Park.  “Curtis Compton / AJC file”

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Dream guard Rhyne Howard (left) gets five from forward Cheyenne Parker after making a 3-pointer during a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks during their home opener in a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in College Park. “Curtis Compton / AJC file”

The Dream announced a contract extension for Cheyenne Parker on Thursday.

A 6-foot-4 forward, Parker joined the Dream for the 2021 season. In two seasons with the team, Parker has averaged 11.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Last season, Parker set career-highs in several categories: field goals made (176), points (426), defensive rebounds (163), total rebounds (222), assists (71), steals (37), games played (36) and games started (35).

“I’m so excited about this extension. We’re building something special here in Atlanta, (and) I’m so honored to be a part of that,” Parker said in a statement from the team. “(Coach) Tanisha (Wright) and the coaching staff are going to continue to push me, and because of that they will get the best out of me night in and night out. I have a lot of respect for this staff, so it’s easy to compete hard for them. We’re going to have a lot of fun, that’s all I know.”

Parker, who played at Middle Tennessee, has played in the WNBA since the 2015 season. She spent the first six seasons of her career playing for Chicago. She has played in 215 games, making 71 starts. The bulk of the starts, 59, came in the past three seasons.

“To continue to have Cheyenne in a Dream uniform thrills me,” Wright said in a statement. “CP has a tremendous hunger to be the best she can be, not only for herself but also for her teammates. She is no stranger to the work and the grind that it takes to play at a high level, and she showed so much desire to keep growing in our first season together. I am excited to see the strides she takes to continue to grow her game.”

The Dream will open their season at 8 p.m. May 20 at the Dallas Wings. The Dream’s first two games of the season are on the road, with the home opener scheduled for 3 p.m. May 28 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park against the Indiana Fever.