Seven new head coaches joined the WNBA in the 2025 season, with a total of 13 franchises in the league. That’s more than 50% fresh faces at the key position. While everyone tried to impact the league with their team, one HC who stood out in the league so far is the Atlanta Dream’s Karl Smesko.
The team stayed competitive under the new coach and is now a game away from securing second place in the standings. Importantly, it was not an overnight turnaround, as Brittney Griner, Allisha Gray, and Co. delivered right from the start. Moving ahead, the coach had some advice for his players.
Karl Smesko Urges Consistency From Atlanta Dream Players
After the first 11 games, the Atlanta-based team held off its opponents with strong defensive plays behind its towering forward lineup. The team was third in the ranking behind the 2024 finalists, the Liberty and the Lynx. With a dip in form in between, there were concerns over the team’s final position at the end of the season.
But linking well at the offensive end, the side once again rose to third position. When asked about their recent run and fans’ reactions to it, the 54-year-old HC took the opportunity to give some advice to his players, too.
“Well, hopefully the fan base sounds like they’re enjoying themselves. So, you know, hopefully we can keep it going and keep getting better. I think most people can see that, when we have it really going, we’re a top-level team in the league. But the thing is, to be able to do that consistently is the next step. Like, and that’s really the challenge because these games come up so fast,” the Ohio-born coach told the press(via YouTube/AtlantaDream).
The 2025 WNBA season, with 44 games, had been very tiring. The Atlanta coach also highlighted the same point in his answer, mentioning there is no ‘relaxing period’ for anyone in the league. With the team’s promising position, they will most likely make the postseason. The coach also added that fans will be able to see the best and toughest team at the end of the season.
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Karl Smesko’s Coaching Philosophy Is Main Reason For Atlanta Dream’s Surge
Guiding the Florida Gulf Coast University to its glorious period, Smesko entered the league with high enthusiasm. His WNBA team was completely different from the team he had in college. But making adjustments, he planned for the team’s progress.
At the college level, Karl Smesko prioritized long shots or layups, which worked well for the smaller lineup team. At the Dream, he focused on players’ strengths and utilized them to fit in his offensive system. The former NAIA Coach of the Year winner had to deal with 2014 champion Britney Griner’s post dominance. He also had Alyssa Grey’s playmaking and shooting ability to incorporate in his system.
The experienced coach hinted at habit-building to progress in the game and integrated rookies like Te-Hina Paopao to develop into star players. The pumped-up side might miss a few key players in upcoming games, including Griner. But Smesko’s system could push them towards the team’s first title in the ‘W’.
Also Read: Brittney Griner Risks WNBA Suspension After Tense Referee Confrontation In Dream-Wings Clash