{"id":20199,"date":"2025-07-19T00:11:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T00:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/20199\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T00:11:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T00:11:14","slug":"no-flinch-all-fire-allisha-grays-star-turn-with-the-atlanta-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/20199\/","title":{"rendered":"No flinch, all fire: Allisha Gray\u2019s star turn with the Atlanta Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gray snatches the ball, and in an instant, her teammate Rhyne Howard<\/a> is in her face, arm extended, lightly challenging the shot. But Gray doesn\u2019t flinch. She quickly kicks the ball back to Lyles, who fires it right back. Gray takes a couple of hard dribbles to her left, rises up and buries a triple.<\/p>\n

After knocking down a couple of off-the-dribble threes, the veteran guard, sporting her signature look \u2014 clear protective goggles, white headband and forearm bands, white tights, and the pink A\u2019ura Nike A\u2019ja Wilson A\u2019Ones \u2014 locks in even deeper. She steps into rhythm, ripping off a string of catch-and-shoot threes from the left wing and top of the key, each release as crisp as the last.<\/p>\n

That rhythm, that motion and that moment have become second nature inside Gateway Center Arena and a growing fixture on TV screens, arena jumbotrons and social media feeds, often accompanied by bold captions spotlighting Gray\u2019s breakout surge this season.<\/p>\n

\"Locked<\/a><\/p>\n

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Here at The Next, in addition to the 24\/7\/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women\u2019s Basketball<\/a> podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.<\/p>\n

The Dream went on to take down the Valkyries that night. When the final buzzer sounds, Gray has every reason to smile. The win capped off the Dream\u2019s final home game before kicking off a grueling six-game stretch. Gray led the charge, dropping her eighth 20-plus point performance of the season and another statement outing that cemented her status as a bona fide WNBA All-Star this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m comfortable in my game,\u201d Gray said. \u201cAll my hard work is showing. I put in a lot of\u00a0work during the offseason. I\u2019m having fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AllishaAtlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) celebrates a 3-point shot against the Seattle Storm during the first quarter at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga., on July 3, 2025. (Photo Credit: Jordan Godfree | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Gray, the No. 4 pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, is in her third season with the Dream after six seasons with the Dallas Wings. The 2025 campaign marks her third consecutive All-Star selection of her career and her first nod as a starter. When Gray takes the floor for Team Collier \u2014 led by Minnesota Lynx star and captain Napheesa Collier<\/a> \u2014 in the annual midsummer classic on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, she will become the Dream\u2019s first All-Star starter since 2018 and only the second player in the franchise\u2019s history with three All-Star selections.<\/p>\n

\u201cI texted [Gray] right when she found out [about being a starter],\u201d Lyles told The Next. \u201cAll the recognition she\u2019s getting is definitely earned. She puts everything into her craft, she watches film, she\u2019s coachable, and she wants to take her game to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Gray takes the court under the All-Star lights on Saturday night, she\u2019ll first seek to defend her titles in the WNBA Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest. Last year, she dominated both events, defeating New York Liberty\u2019s Jonquel Jones<\/a> 22\u201321 in the 3-Point Contest and outracing the Indiana Fever\u2019s Sophie Cunningham<\/a> in the skills challenge with a winning time of 32.1 seconds.<\/p>\n

By sweeping both competitions, Gray became the first player in WNBA history to win both events on the same night, and only the third player ever to claim both events in their career. For her victories, she earned $110,000 from Aflac, in partnership with the WNBPA, plus an additional $2,575 per event from the league.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gray will face off against the Washington Mystics\u2019 Sonia Citron<\/a>, the Liberty\u2019s Sabrina Ionescu<\/a>, the Los Angeles Sparks\u2019 Kelsey Plum<\/a> and the Fever\u2019s Lexie Hull<\/a> in this year\u2019s 3-Point Contest. Indiana star Caitlin Clark<\/a> was slated to join the field, but a right groin injury \u2014 sustained during the Fever\u2019s win against the Connecticut Sun \u2014 will keep the 2024 Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star from competing in all on-court events during All-Star Weekend.<\/p>\n

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The 6\u2032 guard will take on the Liberty\u2019s Natasha Cloud<\/a>, the Seattle Storm\u2019s Skylar Diggins<\/a> and Erica Wheeler<\/a> and the Minnesota Lynx\u2019s Courtney Williams<\/a> in the skills challenge, a timed course designed to test dribbling, passing and shooting under pressure.<\/p>\n

On one of the league\u2019s biggest stages, surrounded by top-tier talent, Gray welcomes the challenge. She isn\u2019t shying away from the spotlight. Last year, she delivered when the lights were brightest, with family, friends, and peers watching her shine. This time, she brings experience into the moment. But her confidence, composure and poise didn\u2019t appear overnight. Those traits \u2014 attributes that she\u2019s glad people are finally noticing in both her game and personality \u2014 were strategically cultivated and groomed well before she donned a Dream jersey or imagined becoming a WNBA All-Star.<\/p>\n

Atlanta Dream: All-Star Allisha Gray has found freedom and joy with the Atlanta Dream<\/a><\/p>\n

Gray\u2019s rise was built on belief, repetition and relentless work<\/p>\n

In just three seasons, \u201cGoggle Lish\u201d\u2014 also known as the \u201csilent assassin\u201d\u2014 has become a go-to weapon in first-year head coach Karl Smesko\u2019s up-tempo system, built on offensive efficiency and high-volume 3-point shooting. A steady two-way force, Gray is posting career highs across the board, averaging 35.5 minutes (second best in the league), 18.4 points, 12.9 shot attempts, 2.3 made threes on 6.1 attempts, 4.8 made free throws on 5.9 attempts, 4.6 defensive boards, 5.6 total rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, per Her Hoop Stats<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley<\/a>, who coached Gray for two seasons that included the Gamecocks\u2019 first women\u2019s NCAA title campaign in 2017, said the former Gamecock has been built for this moment, one shaped by the offseason grind she puts in when no one\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllisha is a pro\u2019s pro,\u201d Staley told The Next. \u201cHer offseason habits have paid off with big dividends during the season. It\u2019s been a buildup to where she is now. You may not get the results that you want in year one, year two or year three [in the league]. She\u2019s gotten better each year, and now she\u2019s playing her best basketball in her prime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dream rookie Te-Hina Paopao concurs: \u201cHer confidence, the way she just goes out there and hoops and doesn\u2019t even think about anything, she just does what the team needs her to do on both ends of the court,\u201d she said, coming off her fifth double-digit performance this season on Wednesday. \u201cThat\u2019s inspired me to play on both ends of the court.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Through 22 games, Gray leads the league in total minutes<\/a> (781), ranks fifth in total points<\/a> (404) and sits fourth in made threes<\/a> (51) \u2014 trailing only three-time All-Star Howard, Plum and the Lynx\u2019s Kayla McBride<\/a>. Gray also ranks in the top five in free-throw rate (28.4%), third in offensive rating (120.4), and in the top four in both win shares (3.9) and offensive win shares (3.0) according to Her Hoop Stats<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Her prowess earned her two Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors this season, making her the first Dream player to receive the recognition since 2018. But she didn\u2019t stop there. She also swept Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for May and June, becoming the first player in franchise history to win multiple monthly awards in a single season and the first from the East<\/a> to claim the season\u2019s opening two months since 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s adapted well to a new system,\u201d Smesko said. \u201cIt\u2019s a daily thing, every practice, every game. She was a great player before I got here. She\u2019s been exceptional \u2026 really showing why she\u2019s one of the best players in the league.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollmon agrees: \u201cShe\u2019s got freedom,\u201d he told The Next. \u201cThere\u2019s a certain type of confidence when you know your coach has your back and gives you the green light.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AllishaAtlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) shoots over Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton<\/a> (22) during the second half at Gateway Center Arena at College Park on July 7, 2025. (Photo Credit: Dale Zanine | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

But before the WNBA landscape at large and the world started tweeting about \u201cGoggle Lish\u201d and really capturing her standout moments like a well-oiled machine, trainer John Hollmon had a front-row seat to Gray\u2019s rise, long before the spotlight truly found her. Hollmon began training Gray in 2019, dating back to her tenure with the Wings. At that time, he trained Gray four to five days a week around 10 a.m., sometimes doubling up with two-a-day sessions, breaking down her skills brick by brick while adding new ones to her arsenal.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019d done everything to become a pro,\u201d Hollmon told The Next. \u201cShe\u2019d got there [WNBA] for the most part based on grit, toughness and her attitude. But she had the potential to grow, so we broke things down piece by piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even now, Hollmon runs Gray through timed drills focused on catch-and-shoot reps, transition reads and creating efficient looks off the dribble, music to Coach Smesko\u2019s ears. To sharpen her attack off the bounce, Hollmon emphasized her floater, added pump fakes to her arsenal, and worked in more snatches, pull-back moves paired with crossovers or behind-the-back dribbles to create space. While that package of moves has been added to her game, she wasn\u2019t always excited during the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll say \u2018I hate floaters,\u2019\u201d Hollmon told The Next with a laugh. \u201cShe hates pump fakes and she hates doing snatches. She very much likes to attack the rim hard. But as you get older, extending the longevity of the game becomes a thing. So, increasing those things more, she had a very love-hate relationship with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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But the work is paying off, and Gray is cashing in on her daily grind. After the Dream\u2019s 92\u201391 victory against the Mystics on June 20, Smesko reflected on the difference between the Gray he knew from afar and the version he\u2019s coaching now in his first season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Smesko, an avid film junkie who uses a unique basketball language to dissect every detail that even seasoned observers may miss, said she\u2019s merely seeing her opportunities a lot differently this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shot quality that she\u2019s getting is better,\u201d Smekso said. \u201cShe\u2019s moving without the ball. She\u2019s finding her opportunities to cut. She\u2019s scoring in conversion. She\u2019ll sneak a putback in every once in a while. \u2026 It\u2019s not that she has to break people down every time and shoot with a hand in her face every time. \u2026 I think she has really benefited from just understanding these opportunities as they develop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Gray\u2019s early training with Hollmon wasn\u2019t just about sharpening her physical skills. When the historic and unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, they shifted to Zoom sessions to stay safe. But Hollmon stayed intentional about building her mental edge. That mindset set the tone for everything to come.<\/p>\n

Each time Gray logged on to Zoom, the screen flashed a title \u201cAll-Star Lish\u201d long before she ever earned the honor. By the time the Wings traded her to the Dream in January 2023, Hollmon had already helped plant the belief she needed in order to thrive. The confidence to play freely was already in motion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gray\u2019s breakout became undeniable during her dominant run with Athletes Unlimited, where she claimed the individual title after setting records in leaderboard points, scoring average, total points, threes made and free throws. She carried that momentum into the inaugural season of the 3\u00d73 league Unrivaled, starring for Team Lunar Owls. Gray finished as the team\u2019s second-leading scorer behind Collier and helped power the squad to the 3\u00d73 semifinals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted her to elevate on the court as well in her mind and emotionally,\u201d Hollmon told The Next. \u201cAllisha was very quiet and still kind of like that at times. She was a roll with the punches, go with the flow type of player. But now, she\u2019s opening up more, and you\u2019re seeing the most free version of herself on and off the court. \u2026 She also told me [laughs] if she wasn\u2019t going to go overseas to play, that I was going to have to get her to another level. I think we would both agree that this was one of the best decisions for her game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gray agrees: \u201cHe\u2019s more than a trainer to me,\u201d she told The Next. \u201cHe\u2019s been locked in with me for pretty much my whole career. He\u2019s like family, and I credit a lot of my success to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AllishaAllisha Gray, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Napheesa Collier for Lunar Owls BC at Unrivaled, Wayfair Arena, Miami, Florida. (Photo Credit: Hannah Kevorkian | The Next)<\/p>\n

Dream season: Atlanta Dream aim to prove themselves in pivotal six-game road test<\/a><\/p>\n

With the second half on the horizon, Gray is ready to take charge<\/p>\n

The Dream currently sit fifth in the WNBA standings, trailing the Storm, Mercury, Liberty and Lynx as they push through a grueling six-game road trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A year ago, things looked drastically different. At the All-Star\/Paris Olympics break, Atlanta was ravaged by injuries<\/a>, had rolled out seven different starting lineups and entered the hiatus at 7\u201317 with an eight-game skid. Statistically, they ranked last in points, assists, and field goal percentage; 11th in threes made and 3-point percentage; sixth in both free throws made and offensive rebounds; third in free throws attempted and defensive rebounds; and eighth in turnovers per game. Even then, Gray led the Dream in minutes (32.4) and had already started elevating her game, especially from beyond the arc<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones<\/a> (24), guard Allisha Gray (15), guard Te-Hina Paopao (2), center Brittney Griner<\/a> (42) talk during the dead ball in the game against the New York Liberty during the first quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. (Photo Credit: Jordan Godfree | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

But now, Atlanta (13-9) has tied for its third-best record through 22 games in franchise history. After opening their six-game road trip 1\u20132 \u2014 including a dominant win against the Sky on Wednesday \u2014 the Dream closed the first half on a high note. The last time Atlanta started this well was in 2018, a year when the Dream reached the WNBA semifinals under former coach Nicki Collen.<\/p>\n

Statistically, the Dream rank fourth in scoring (83.8), eighth in field goal percentage (43%), fifth in both threes made (9.3) and assists (21.0) and third in threes attempted (28.8) per game. They also rank fifth in free throws made (16.0), third in free throws attempted (21.1), first in defensive rebounds (28.3), fourth in offensive boards (9.3), second in fewest turnovers (13.0) and fourth in blocks (4.5) per contest.<\/p>\n

Although Gray was voted the top guard by media and players and finished seventh in fan voting for this year\u2019s All-Star Game, she struggled from the field in the final stretch before the break, shooting just 8-of-32 overall, and 4-of-21 in the Dream\u2019s two most recent losses. And yet, she isn\u2019t worried. There\u2019s no sign of panic as she heads into the second half of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still in a great position,\u201d Gray told The Next. \u201cEvery [team] is really neck and neck [in the standings].\u201d<\/p>\n

The Next, a 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball newsroom
The Next<\/a>: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX<\/a>. 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.<\/p>\n

As Gray takes the court alongside the league\u2019s elite in this year\u2019s All-Star showcase, Hollmon hopes she takes a moment to reflect on how far she\u2019s come in the last five years. But once the break ends, it\u2019s back to business. With Howard out for the rest of July due to a left knee injury and the Dream still grinding through a tough road trip before returning home to face the Valkyries on July 29, Gray knows she has to stay locked in and keep applying pressure through the second half of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI call it bookbag Lish because she got something in her bag that people don\u2019t know about yet,\u201d Hollmon told The Next. \u201cShe got to dig in that bookbag and pull it out. \u2026 When I say that, she knows exactly what I\u2019m talking about. Is it digging in her bag to be MVP, getting more rebounds? Whatever it is, the goal is to win, and that\u2019s her mindset at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gray snatches the ball, and in an instant, her teammate Rhyne Howard is in her face, arm extended,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20200,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[4130,9210,18417,2083,18418,18118,99,18419,434],"class_list":{"0":"post-20199","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-allisha-gray","9":"tag-athletes-unlimited","10":"tag-brionna-jones","11":"tag-dawn-staley","12":"tag-karl-smesko","13":"tag-rhyne-howard","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-unrivaled","16":"tag-wnba"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}