How the Dream rebuilt their franchise to emerge as sneaky contenders - ESPN

The Atlanta Dream's new franchise cornerstones reversed their matching red-leather interior Corvettes into parallel parking spots, popped the rooftops back on, then stepped out in their game-day fits — Allisha Gray in a green crewneck, Rhyne Howard in a baby blue shirt and Naz Hillmon in a bright pink pantsuit.

«It gives Powerpuff Girls,» Hillmon told ESPN ahead of their regular-season finale.

It's not just the colors they sported that were reminiscent of the early-2000s cartoon. Just as that superhero trio would save their city, Atlanta's version of the big three has helped restore this team after six straight losing seasons, doubling its win total from a year ago with a franchise-record 30 victories and earning the No. 3 seed in the WNBA playoffs.

Their friendships have really shaped the team's culture off and on the floor.

«We are never not having a great time, and the chemistry has always been there. I literally want to repost every tweet, every post that I see about them because they deserve it all,» Hillmon said. «Our core, we have our values, and we knew what we wanted to accomplish, and that starts off the court.»

This core group has been crucial to building the foundation Larry Gottesdiener wanted to establish when he bought the team in 2021. The first brick he laid was hiring general manager Dan Padover, who made several trades in the 2022 draft to acquire the No. 1 and 15 picks and select Howard and Hillmon, respectively. The next was acquiring Gray in 2023. And the latest was the hiring of Karl Smesko, who was unproven in the WNBA, but has unlocked the Dream's full potential with his distinct offensive style.

Before the rebuild began, Atlanta was not a desirable destination. Now, only four years later, the