\u2014 WNBA on ION (@IONWNBA) October 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n There was no question that the Dream would be able to shoot 3s at a higher clip, but Smesko\u2019s system is about more than launching threes\u2014it\u2019s about finding the highest percentage shot, whether it be three-point attempts or diving to the hoop for a layup.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s what was lost with the offseason signings of Griner and Brionna Jones.<\/p>\n With an offense predicated on three-pointers and spreading the floor to get those open looks from deep or near the rim, how would the traditional bigs handle this high-volume offense?<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know how it would translate. He was used to coaching guards all of his life, so working with post players was new to him,\u201d said Las Vegas Aces\u2019 wing Kierstan Bell, who played under Smesko in college. \u201cBut it\u2019s worked and it shows the intelligence that he has and his basketball IQ.\u201d<\/p>\n And work it did.<\/p>\n Atlanta attempted 28.4 threes per game under Smesko, up from the 19.4 they attempted per game last year. They also shot 33.7 percent from deep compared to the 30.8 percent mark from a season ago.<\/p>\n The biggest change under Smesko from Tanisha Wright is that a whopping 34 percent of their points came from downtown compared to 23.3 percent a season ago.<\/p>\n \u201cHe just lets us hoop for real. We are able to play freely, he has trust and confidence in us, and we are able to go out there and play our hardest,\u201d said rookie Te-Hina Paopao.<\/p>\n To Bell\u2019s point, the translation carried over to the bigs, too, as Griner, Jones, and Naz Hillmon all set career-highs in three-point attempts.<\/p>\n Earlier in the season, Griner and Jones attempted more threes, but as the season went on, the number of attempts per game dwindled down as Smesko continued to implement his system, choosing to move Griner to the bench and stagger her minutes with Jones.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that Griner played poorly. Not at all.<\/p>\n It was that Sixth Player of the Year winner, Naz Hillmon, became a different player in years\u2019 past under Smesko.<\/p>\n See, entering this season, Hillmon attempted a total of six three-pointers in her previous three seasons in the league.<\/p>\n Under Smesko, Hillmon attempted 165 threes, shooting 32.1 percent from behind the arc.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I heard Coach was coming here, my first thought was that I wish I started shooting threes sooner,\u201d Hillmon said, with a laugh. \u201cIt\u2019s been a little bit of a learning curve for me, but it\u2019s really just taking the open ones. I can shrug off, make or miss, but it\u2019s being able to see what open shots are working for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Hillmon became one of the breakout players of the year in the WNBA, enjoying her best season to date as a pro.<\/p>\n The same can be said for Gray.<\/p>\n The same argument can be made for Jones.<\/p>\n And Howard, who became the first player in WNBA history to make nine 3s in a single game.<\/p>\n See Also<\/p>\n It\u2019s a testament to the players, yes, but it\u2019s also not a coincidence that it happened under Smesko.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see a lot of players having career highs, and adding more to their games,\u201d Hillmon said. \u201cIt speaks volumes to the job that Smesko has done.\u201d<\/p>\n @thewinsidr<\/a> Naz Hillmon speaks up for Coach Karl Smesko \u2014 the media needs to recognize what he\u2019s done for the Atlanta Dream\ud83c\udfc0\ud83d\udcaa (Via ItsMeghanLHall\/x) #wnba<\/a> #wbb<\/a> #winsidr<\/a> #atlantadream<\/a> #nazhillmon<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 Winsidr<\/a> <\/p>\n Smesko, as he does, shifted the conversation and focus to the players.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we had really good players. As a coaching staff, I want to give a lot of credit to them,\u201d Smesko said. \u201cWe were committed to working together to help the players as best as possible. It\u2019s about recognizing the talent of the players and putting them in the position to utilize those talents.\u201d<\/p>\n The regular season featured those talents at a high level, but they didn\u2019t translate over to postseason success.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gray joked during the season that it was great seeing Atlanta\u2019s name at the top of the standings and that she could get used to that.<\/p>\n It speaks volumes entering an offseason where every player but two in the WNBA who aren\u2019t on a rookie contract will be free agents.<\/p>\n That includes Jordin Canada, Jones, Griner, and Gray, as well as Howard and Hillmon, who are restricted free agents.<\/p>\n While there\u2019s a lot of uncertainty, the front office is hopeful that they can continue the momentum with the core of the team in place.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether it was this year, last year, or four years ago, we leave every year telling every player they are a member of the Dream,\u201d said 2025 WNBA Executive of the Year Dan Padover. \u201cWe make sure that anything they need, we are here for them. We let the offseason play out and deal with that when it comes. We feel really good about where we are. All of our players love Atlanta.\u201d<\/p>\n And they do. There\u2019s no guarantee that the group will be back together or not, but Gray, for one, has made it known that she loves Atlanta, the coach, and her teammates.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI credit Big Wheez [Smesko] for the turnaround of the team. He did a great job this year, and we believed in it,\u201d Gray said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t pick another group to be around. I just love this team a lot. They are great people to be around.\u201d<\/p>\n The whole team was upset that their season ended early. They knew the potential that they had, and they know that they lived up to it and exceeded the public\u2019s expectations during the regular season.<\/p>\n Yes, the goals were laid out earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n Championship. WNBA Finals. Long run.<\/p>\n They didn\u2019t reach those. But they did reach another pivotal goal, and that was not only bringing winning basketball back to Atlanta, but putting it on the map for the future, as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI love being around this team. We all bought into the vision,\u201d said point guard Jordin Canada. \u201cLike coach said, \u2018what is delayed is not denied.\u2019 Atlanta will be back. I guarantee that.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Las](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/25_Aces_SeasonRecap.jpg\")
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