The Atlanta Dream currently sit near the top of the WNBA standings.
They’re fourth in the league.
They’re second in the Eastern Conference.
They have one of the most talented rosters in franchise history.
And yet, if you’ve spent any time around Dream fans recently, you’d think the sky was falling.
After dropping two of their last four games, questions are starting to surface.
Was this team overhyped?
Are the expectations too high?
Is this roster not as good as we thought?
My answer is simple:
No.
In fact, I think Karl Smesko predicted exactly what we’re seeing right now.
The Biggest Problem Isn’t Defense
It’s not rebounding.
It’s not talent.
It’s not effort.
It’s offensive consistency.
When the Dream offense is humming, they look like the best team in basketball.
The ball moves.
The spacing is elite.
The pace is relentless.
The shots are falling.
And when that happens, very few teams can keep up.
But when the offense stalls?
Things can get ugly in a hurry.
The ball sticks.
The spacing shrinks.
Players become more isolation-heavy.
And suddenly a team that looked unstoppable for stretches looks completely different.
Sound familiar?
That’s because Smesko warned us about this months ago.
Karl Smesko Told Us This Would Happen
One of the most overlooked comments from training camp and preseason came from Karl Smesko himself.
He repeatedly asked fans not to judge the offense too early.
Why?
Because he knew this system would take time.
The Dream weren’t simply plugging players into an existing offense.
They were building something new.
A team featuring:
- Angel Reese
- Allisha Gray
- Rhyne Howard
- Brionna Jones
- Jordin Canada
has a lot of talent.
But talent alone doesn’t create chemistry.
Smesko understood there would be growing pains.
He talked about how the offense would develop new dimensions throughout the season.
He talked about how it might not always look pretty early.
He talked about how players would continue learning where to be and when to make reads.
A third of the way through the season, he looks absolutely correct.
The offense has flashed championship-level potential.
But it hasn’t been consistent enough yet.
Why This Is Actually Good News
Here’s the part many people are missing.
If the Dream were losing because they lacked talent, that would be a problem.
If they were losing because they couldn’t defend, that would be a problem.
If they were losing because they couldn’t rebound, that would be a problem.
But that’s not what’s happening.
Atlanta’s biggest issue is something that can improve naturally over time.
Offensive chemistry.
Decision-making.
Timing.
Shot selection.
Those things tend to improve the more reps a team gets together.
That’s why Smesko wasn’t panicking in preseason.
He knew this process would take time.
How Do The Dream Fix It?
I actually think the answer is pretty simple.
1. Run More Set Actions
When the Dream are at their best, there is structure.
The offense doesn’t feel rushed.
The players know where their outlets are.
The ball moves side to side.
Too often during offensive droughts, Atlanta becomes dependent on individual shot creation.
That works sometimes.
But not consistently.
Running more structured actions can help create easier looks and keep everyone involved.
2. Let The Offense Flow Through Angel Reese More Often
This may be controversial.
But Angel Reese impacts winning in ways that go beyond scoring.
She rebounds.
She pushes pace.
She creates second chances.
She’s also become a better passer than many people realize.
Instead of viewing Reese solely as a finisher, Atlanta should continue exploring ways to use her as a facilitator.
When Reese touches the ball, good things tend to happen.
She creates movement.
She creates energy.
She creates opportunities.
That’s exactly what this offense needs during stagnant stretches.
3. Create More Off-Ball Actions For Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard
This might be the biggest adjustment of all.
Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard are two of the best scorers in the league.
But sometimes the Dream ask them to create too much on their own.
Instead, Atlanta should put them in more motion.
Use:
- Pin-down screens
- Flare screens
- Back cuts
- Off-ball movement
Force defenses to chase them.
Make defenders work.
Create easier scoring opportunities.
The more Gray and Howard can attack against a moving defense instead of a set defense, the better this offense becomes.
The Ceiling Is Still Extremely High
The Dream’s recent struggles shouldn’t overshadow the bigger picture.
This team is still one of the best teams in the WNBA.
They still have:
- Elite defense
- Elite rebounding
- Star power
- Depth
- Coaching
And perhaps most importantly, they have a coach who already anticipated the problem they’re facing.
That’s a huge advantage.
It’s much easier to solve an issue when you know it’s coming.
Final Thoughts
The Atlanta Dream aren’t underachieving.
They’re evolving.
What we’re seeing right now is exactly what Karl Smesko warned us about months ago.
There will be offensive highs.
There will be offensive lows.
There will be growing pains.
But that’s part of the process when you’re building a championship-caliber offense.
The encouraging part?
The Dream’s biggest weakness isn’t permanent.
It’s fixable.
More structure.
More movement.
More Angel Reese involvement.
More off-ball action for Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard.
If Atlanta can clean up those areas, the version of the Dream we see in August may look very different from the version we’re seeing today.
And that’s exactly what Karl Smesko predicted all along.
