2021 Atlanta Dream season

Last updated

2021 Atlanta Dream season
Coach Darius Taylor (Interim) (since July 24)
Mike Petersen (Interim) (before July 24)
Arena Gateway Center Arena
Attendance1,347 per game
Results
Record824 (.250)
Place5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Team Leaders
Points Courtney Williams – 16.5
Rebounds Courtney Williams – 6.8
Assists Courtney Williams – 4.0

The 2021 WNBA season was the 14th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association. The team began the season on May 14, 2021 at home against the Connecticut Sun. [1]

Contents

This was the first season that the Dream will play home games at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park. In the 2019 offseason the team elected to move from State Farm Arena. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was played at a neutral site. [2] [3]

Mike Petersen began the season as interim head coach, but stepped down on July 24 for health reasons. Darius Taylor took over as interim coach through the end of the regular season. [4]

The Dream began the season by losing their first two games, but then going on a four game winning streak. That win streak was followed by a four game losing streak. After winning their next game, the Dream were 5–6 through their first eleven games. However, the Dream could only win one more of their next eight games to go into the Olympic break with a record of 6–13. The team's struggles continued after the break as they lost seven straight games. They did manage to win two of their last five games to finish with an 8–24 record.

Transactions

WNBA draft

RoundPickPlayerNationalitySchool/team/country
13 Aari McDonald Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Arizona
215 Raquel Carrera Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Valencia Basket (Spain)
327 Lindsey Pulliam Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Northwestern

Trades and Roster Changes

DateDetails
December 9, 2020Exercised Team Options on Kalani Brown and Maite Cazorla [5]
January 2, 2021Extended a Qualifying Offer to Kaela Davis, Jaylyn Agnew, and Blake Dietrick [6]
February 1, 2021Signed Cheyenne Parker [7]
February 4, 2021Signed Tianna Hawkins [8]
February 5, 2021Renounced the rights to Kobi Thornton [9]
February 9, 2021 Renee Montgomery announced her Retirement [10]
February 13, 2021Traded a 3rd round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Yvonne Turner [11]
February 21, 2021Signed Kaela Davis to a training-camp contract [12]
Waived Mikayla Pivec and Brittany Brewer
February 22, 2021Signed Shatori Walker-Kimbrough [13]
March 1, 2021Signed Odyssey Sims [14]
April 17, 2021Signed Crystal Bradford and Mikayla Cowling to training camp contracts [15]
April 18, 2021Signed Aari McDonald and Lindsey Pulliam [16]
May 3, 2021 Mike Petersen promoted to interim head coach after Nicki Collen leaves for Baylor [17]
May 5, 2021Waived Yvonne Turner. [18]
May 9, 2021Waived Kaela Davis and Lindsey Pulliam [19]
May 13, 2021Waived Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Mikayla Cowling [20]
May 26, 2021Waived Kalani Brown [21]
July 6, 2021Temporarily Suspend Chennedy Carter
July 26, 2021Signed Candice Dupree. [22]
August 14, 2021 Cheyenne Parker moved to the Inactive List due to Pregnancy
August 24, 2021Signed Blake Dietrick. [23]

Roster

2021 Atlanta Dream roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
F 25 Flag of the United States.svg Billings, Monique 6' 4" (1.93m)192 lb (87kg)05-02-1996 UCLA 3
G 9 Flag of the United States.svg Bradford, Crystal 6' 0" (1.83m)170 lb (77kg)11-01-1993 Central Michigan 1
G 3 Flag of the United States.svg Carter, Chennedy  (S)5' 9" (1.75m)143 lb (65kg)11-14-1998 Texas A&M 1
G 11 Flag of the United States.svg Dietrick, Blake 5' 10" (1.78m)169 lb (77kg)07-19-1993 Princeton 4
F 24 Flag of the United States.svg Dupree, Candice 6' 2" (1.88m)178 lb (81kg)08-16-1984 Temple 15
F 21 Flag of the United States.svg Hawkins, Tianna 6' 3" (1.91m)186 lb (84kg)03-02-1991 Maryland 7
G 15 Flag of the United States.svg Hayes, Tiffany 5' 10" (1.78m)155 lb (70kg)09-29-1989 Connecticut 8
G 4 Flag of the United States.svg McDonald, Aari 5' 6" (1.68m)141 lb (64kg)08-20-1998 Arizona R
C 32 Flag of the United States.svg Parker, Cheyenne 6' 4" (1.93m)193 lb (88kg)08-22-1993 Middle Tennessee 6
G 0 Flag of the United States.svg Sims, Odyssey 5' 8" (1.73m)163 lb (74kg)07-13-1992 Baylor 7
F 40 Flag of the United States.svg Stricklen, Shekinna 6' 2" (1.88m)230 lb (104kg)07-30-1990 Tennessee 8
G 10 Flag of the United States.svg Williams, Courtney 5' 8" (1.73m)133 lb (60kg)05-11-1994 South Florida 5
C 1 Flag of the United States.svg Williams, Elizabeth 6' 3" (1.91m)200 lb (91kg)06-23-1993 Duke 6
Head coach

Flag of the United States.svg Darius Taylor (Michigan

Assistant coaches

Flag of the United States.svg La'Keshia Frett (Georgia
Flag of the United States.svg Daynia La-Force (Georgetown)

Athletic trainer

Flag of the United States.svg Natalie Trotter

Strength and conditioning coach

Flag of the United States.svg Drew Williams


Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Depth

Pos.StarterBench
C Elizabeth Williams Cheyenne Parker
PF Monique Billings Candice Dupree
Tianna Hawkins
SF Tiffany Hayes Crystal Bradford
Shekinna Stricklen
SG Courtney Williams Blake Dietrick
PG Odyssey Sims Aari McDonald
Chennedy Carter

Schedule

Preseason

2021 pre-season game log
May: 2–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
1May 1 Minnesota W 69–61 Parker
Sims (12)
Monique Billings (7) Courtney Williams (5) Gateway Center Arena
0
1–0
2May 5@ Washington W 87–80 Billings
Sims (13)
Monique Billings (7) Williams
McDonald
Bradford (2)
Entertainment and Sports Arena
0
2–0
2021 pre-season schedule

Regular season

2021 game log
Total: 8–24 (Home: 4–12; Road: 4–12)
May: 4–2 (Home: 1–2; Road: 3–0)
July : 0–4 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
16July 2@ Seattle L 88–91 Courtney Williams (20) Billings
C. Williams (8)
Bradford
C. Williams (7)
Angel of the Winds Arena
3,011
6–10
17July 4@ Las Vegas L 95–118 Courtney Williams (19) Cheyenne Parker (7) Odyssey Sims (13) Michelob Ultra Arena
2,705
6–11
18July 9@ Connecticut L 72–84 Cheyenne Parker (15) Parker
Sims (6)
McDonald
Sims
C. Williams (3)
Mohegan Sun Arena
2,286
6–12
19July 11 Indiana L 68–79 Odyssey Sims (20) Elizabeth Williams (7) Courtney Williams (5) Gateway Center Arena
1,897
6–13
August : 0–6 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
20August 15@ Phoenix L 81–92 Courtney Williams (30) Monique Billings (8) Courtney Williams (6) Phoenix Suns Arena
7,491
6–14
21August 17@ Los Angeles L 80–85 (OT) Odyssey Sims (26) Courtney Williams (9) Odyssey Sims (6) Staples Center
2,200
6–15
22August 19@ Los Angeles L 64–66 Courtney Williams (23) Courtney Williams (11) Courtney Williams (4) Staples Center
1,885
6–16
23August 21 Phoenix L 69–84 Odyssey Sims (16) Courtney Williams (7) Courtney Williams (4) Gateway Center Arena
2,073
6–17
24August 24 Chicago L 79–86 Odyssey Sims (17) Monique Billings (8) Odyssey Sims (5) Gateway Center Arena
1,292
6–18
25August 26 Las Vegas L 71–78 Monique Billings (21) Hayes
C. Williams (8)
Courtney Williams (5) Gateway Center Arena
2,182
6–19
September : 2–5 (Home: 1–2; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
26September 2@ Dallas L 68–72 Courtney Williams (25) Monique Billings (11) Courtney Williams (7) College Park Center
1,975
6–20
27September 5@ Dallas W 69–64 Tiffany Hayes (22) Monique Billings (14) Monique Billings (4) College Park Center
2,386
7–20
28September 8 Phoenix L 75–76 Courtney Williams (20) Courtney Williams (14) Courtney Williams (5) Gateway Center Arena
1,215
7–21
29September 10@ Washington L 74–82 Courtney Williams (23) Monique Billings (10) Tiffany Hayes (6) Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,320
7–22
30September 14 Indiana W 85–78 Tiffany Hayes (31) Courtney Williams (11) Aari McDonald (6) Gateway Center Arena
1,208
8–22
31September 16 Los Angeles L 68–74 Tiffany Hayes (25) Courtney Williams (10) Hayes
Sims (3)
Gateway Center Arena
2,537
8–23
32September 19@ Connecticut L 64–84 Courtney Williams (18) Billings
C. Williams (6)
Aari McDonald (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
4,724
8–24
2021 season schedule

Standings

#Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1xConnecticut Sun 266.81312–315–111–59–1
2xLas Vegas Aces 248.750211–413–311–56–4
3xMinnesota Lynx 2210.688410–513–39–77–3
4xSeattle Storm 2111.65659–611–510–68–2
5xPhoenix Mercury 1913.59476–97–912–45–5
6xChicago Sky 1616.5001010–56–1010–66–4
7xDallas Wings 1418.438127–87–97–93–7
8xNew York Liberty 1220.375146–97–95–115–5
9eWashington Mystics 1220.375147–88–84–124–6
10eLos Angeles Sparks 1220.375142–138–84–121–9
11eAtlanta Dream 824.250186–94–124–124–6
12eIndiana Fever 626.188204–114–122–142–8

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

Statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per gameTeam leaderLeague leader

Regular season

Source: [25]

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Courtney Williams 323234.441.838.264.26.84.01.10.516.5
Tiffany Hayes 211928.343.840.585.33.23.01.60.214.7
Chennedy Carter 111125.545.511.187.51.33.30.70.414.2
Crystal Bradford 24918.342.935.846.23.81.51.20.48.8
Odyssey Sims 302125.137.023.272.92.53.61.20.18.7
Monique Billings 31923.849.50.067.56.51.01.21.08.1
Candice Dupree 10420.343.40.063.63.80.60.50.27.3
Aari McDonald 30416.432.230.888.21.62.00.80.26.3
Elizabeth Williams 323223.851.60.050.94.91.21.11.35.8
Tianna Hawkins 28815.539.724.291.33.10.60.40.54.9
Shekinna Stricklen 2409.825.921.240.00.90.30.40.22.5
Blake Dietrick 9015.729.631.30.01.61.20.60.12.3

Awards and honors

RecipientAwardDate awardedRef.
Courtney Williams WNBA All-Star Selection June 30 [26]
Aari McDonald WNBA All-Rookie Team October 5 [27]

Related Research Articles

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References

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