Atlanta, GA

Previewing the Atlanta Dream’s 2025 season opener

Published

7 months ago

May 16, 2025

Previewing the Atlanta Dream’s 2025 season opener

The Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics finished back-to-back in the 2024 standings, with Atlanta sneaking into the 2024 playoffs with a 15-25 record. Atlanta finished just one game ahead of Washington’s 14-26 record after Atlanta beat Washington in overtime in the 38th game of the 40-game season. Both teams underwent coaching changes in the offseason, although Washington seems set up as a more traditional rebuild while Atlanta has pushed its chips in for the 2025 season.

Opponent Preview

The Mystics are led by first-year head WNBA coach Sydney Johnson who played for the Princeton men’s basketball team in the mid-1990s. Johnson has primarily coached men’s college basketball in his career, spending time on the staff for the men’s teams at Georgetown, Princeton (head coach from 2007-2011), Fairfield (head coach from 2011-2019), and Air Force (assistant head coach). He spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky after several years working with USA basketball.

Washington had three of the first six draft picks in the 2025 draft, adding guard Sonia Citron from Notre Dame, forward Kiki Iriafen from USC, and Australian guard Georgia Amoore from Kentucky. Although Amoore had an ACL injury in preseason, Citron and Iriafen are both expected to contribute to a lineup returning 2nd-year player Aaliyah Edwards from the University of Connecticut and veterans including Shakira Austin, Brittney Sykes, and Stefanie Dolson. Unfortunately for the Mystics, Amoore, Edwards, and Austin have all been declared out for the opening games with the Atlanta Dream.

Eight of the WNBA’s thirteen teams will make the playoffs. The Atlanta Dream has the seventh-best championship odds according to odds from DraftKings Sportsbook in early May. The Mystics had the 11th-best odds, only ahead of the chaotic Connecticut Sun and the expansion Golden State Valkyries.

What to Look For with the Atlanta Dream in 2025

There are several prominent additions to the Atlanta Dream on the player side and coaching staff. New head coach Karl Smesko enters the WNBA after 26 seasons coaching collegiately. He leaves with the thirrd-highest winning percentage among active DI women’s basketball coaches behind just Geno Auriemma and Kim Mulkey.

Smesko is known for an offense prioritizing efficient shots, emphasizing three-point shooting. Atlanta finished towards the bottom of the league in pace and three-point shooting last season, but could be among the league leaders in three-pointers taken, based on their preseason performance. Smesko brought in a collection of new coaching staff members to support him in his debut season with a wide array of professional and collegiate coaching experience.

When it comes to player additions to the Atlanta Dream, the team made some of the biggest splashes in the offseason, especially in the frontcourt. Brittney Griner opted to leave the only team she has ever played for in the Phoenix Mercury to join the Atlanta Dream as a free agent. The broadcasting crew in Atlanta’s preseason game mentioned that Griner gave credit to fellow Unrivaled players Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray for recruiting her to the team.

After announcing Griner’s signing, Atlanta surprised the WNBA by also signing free agent Brionna Jones from the Connecticut Sun. The two players were considered the best available bigs on the free-agent market and it remains to be seen how their playing time will be staggered. In both preseason games, both ‘BG’ and ‘BJ’ were in the starting lineup, but they could be used in a rotation to give Atlanta a reliable threat in the paint.

In the backcourt, Atlanta added Shatori Walker-Kimbrough from the Washington Mystics. Walker-Kimbrough started Atlanta’s second preseason game after starting point guard Jordin Canada’s injury in the first minute of preseason action. Atlanta also utilized rookie Te-Hina Paopao at the guard position throughout the preseason. Paopao surprisingly fell to Atlanta at the 18th pick in the second round of the WNBA draft and may fit well into Smesko’s offense with the outside shooting she developed and demonstrated while playing for Dawn Staley at South Carolina.

Returning players for Atlanta include All-Stars Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada. Naz Hillmon and Nia Coffey are expected to be heavily involved in Atlanta’s rotation. We will see how quickly the new Dream players Griner, Jones, Walker-Kimbrough, and Paopao can gel alongside the strong community of these five returning players.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Hawks Announce Plans For Their Annual Holiday Game Fueled By Georgia Natural Gas

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Atlanta Hawks Announce Plans For Their Annual Holiday Game Fueled By Georgia Natural Gas

The Atlanta Hawks have announced the plans of their annual Holiday Game fueled by Georgia Natural Gas, the team’s official natural gas provider, on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. during the team’s game against the Chicago Bulls. The evening will showcase a variety of holiday-themed activations, including festive music, family-friendly entertainment and appearances from Santa and other seasonal characters.

“Our annual Holiday Game fueled by Georgia Natural Gas will highlight the spirit of the holidays and create memorable experiences for fans and families across Atlanta. We look forward to spreading the joy of the season both on and off the court again this year,” said Andrew Saltzman, Hawks President of Business Enterprise and Chief Commercial Officer.

In addition to a lineup of festive in-arena entertainment, all fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition red and white holiday beanie courtesy of Georgia Natural Gas. Each beanie will be shipped to the arena in a compostable bag and sustainably disposed of, in collaboration with Georgia Natural Gas, reflecting a broader commitment to reducing waste and fostering a greener future.

“Atlanta Hawks fans are some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in the NBA, and the Holiday Game is a great tradition that brings even more excitement to their holiday season,” said Aimee Henderson, Director of Retail Mass Markets for Georgia Natural Gas. “We’re thrilled that our partnership with the Hawks gives us an opportunity to be a part of it while spreading warmth and holiday cheer to our community in a more sustainable way.”

Holiday programming will continue throughout the game with enhanced in-game elements, including themed video features, seasonal greetings from Hawks players, live holiday carolers on the concourse and special performances from the Hawks Entertainment Team.

At halftime, children from the Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA will take part in a special on-court toy giveaway with an array of gifts displayed at center court. Participants will collect as many items as possible, creating a joyful moment that celebrates the spirit of giving. All remaining toys will be donated to the Atlanta Mission to support families in need during the holiday season.

The game will also feature a selection of festive food and beverage offerings for fans to purchase throughout the concourse, including the State Farm Holiday Plate featuring beef wellington and seasonal sides, an eggnog milkshake topped with nutmeg-dusted whipped cream and a candy cane, and an eggnog martini finished with a swirl of nutmeg-dusted whipped cream.

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Atlanta, GA

Car seen driving on the Beltline trail by Krog Street Market

Published

23 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Car seen driving on the Beltline trail by Krog Street Market

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A startling discovery, putting safety at the Atlanta Beltline front and center.

Leandro Gallardo was out for a skate when another set of four wheels rolled past him on the Beltline’s Eastside trail at the Krog Street District late Tuesday afternoon.

In a video he shared with Atlanta News First, viewers can see a car driving toward Irwin Street NE.

“Luckily, it wasn’t busy, but imagine if it was a busy weekend,” Gallardo said.

Cars are not allowed on the main Atlanta Beltline trails. That’s why barriers are in place to keep cars out and people safe. The incident raises serious safety concerns after spotting the car on the trail and at Krog Street.

“Need to be extra aware now where you are and where you are going and who is coming at you,” Gallardo said.

The trails are for walking, biking, skating and fun. Gallardo is still trying to figure out how what happened was done.

“If you see DeKalb Avenue, it’s really easy to access,” Gallardo said. “There are things to stop the cars from the driveway, but the curb is not that high. It’s weird someone thought this was a street.”

Still, no one knows for sure.

The Atlanta Beltline sent issued a statement about the recorded incident:

“All City of Atlanta and Atlanta Beltline access points are secured. The location you mentioned is not Beltline property. We are coordinating with Public Safety and the adjacent property owners of the area to secure all spots.”

For Gallardo, who enjoys skating with a group of friends every week along the Beltline, his attire is even more essential for his skates.

“I always say wear the lights all the time, because it’s a safety thing,” Gallardo said.

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Atlanta, GA

Charlotte hosts Atlanta following overtime win against Cleveland

Published

2 days ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Charlotte hosts Atlanta following overtime win against Cleveland

Atlanta Hawks (15-12, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (8-18, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts the Atlanta Hawks after the Hornets took down the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 in overtime.

The Hornets have gone 7-12 against Eastern Conference teams. Charlotte is 7-11 against opponents over .500.

The Hawks have gone 9-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta ranks ninth in the league averaging 14.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 37.2% from deep. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the team averaging 2.9 makes while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range.

The Hornets average 114.8 points per game, 2.6 fewer points than the 117.4 the Hawks allow. The Hawks average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Hornets give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Hawks won the last meeting 113-110 on Nov. 23. Jalen Johnson scored 28 points to help lead the Hawks to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is scoring 19.4 points per game and averaging 6.0 rebounds for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 29.0 points and 4.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Hawks. Dyson Daniels is averaging 27.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 68.4% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 4-6, averaging 112.1 points, 42.8 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 6.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.

Hawks: 5-5, averaging 118.7 points, 43.3 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.2 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Grant Williams: day to day (acl), Pat Connaughton: day to day (calf), Josh Green: out (shoulder), LaMelo Ball: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (thigh), Tre Mann: day to day (ankle).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (reconditioning), N’Faly Dante: day to day (concussion), Jacob Toppin: day to day (shoulder), Trae Young: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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