Atlanta Dream Coach Makes Brittney Griner Statement After Valkyries Game
The Atlanta Dream added another tally to the win column with a 79-63 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, the latest in a triumphant stretch for Atlanta where the team has won seven of their last eight contests.
The Dream have had a masterful showing in 2025 with a 22-15 record, best in the Eastern Conference and good for second-best in the whole WNBA. This record has been a resurgence for Atlanta after a 2024 season where the team finished with just a 15-25 record.
One of the highlights of their season has been the addition of center Brittney Griner, who joined the team after spending the last 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner has been a steady contributor to her new team, averaging 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
Griner was suffering from a neck injury earlier the season that forced her to miss three games and since her return, she has been adjusting to a new role coming off the bench for Atlanta. This move was an unusual one for her, as the WNBA champion had spent her entire career as a starter prior to this change, which is aimed at managing her minutes.
Griner's Shift to the Bench Has Helped Atlanta Dream
Griner began the season in her usual role as a starter, familiar territory for the star center who started every single game she played for the Mercury earlier in her career. Since moving to the bench to accommodate her recovery from injury, Griner has clearly not missed a step, and her head coach Karl Smesko has been inclined to agree.
"Our bench has been really good all year," Smesko said (via The Ballers Magazine). "Right now BG [Griner] is coming in for us, and usually within the first minute of coming in she has a basket or two of us. So. Our bench is a big part of this.”
Brittney Griner is a vet for a reason 🤷♀️
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 18, 2025
She rises over her defender and sinks the jumper
ATL–GSV | League Pass | #WNBARivalsWeek presented by @Ally pic.twitter.com/DzOnZ3HJYv
In the four games that Briner has come off the bench, beginning August 10, she has averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She had one of her strongest showings off the bench yet against the Valkyries, dropping eight points, six boards and a block in 15 minutes.
It's unclear when Griner will return to the starting lineup for the Dream, but the 10-time All-Star has shown quite clearly that she is able to contribute on the court regardless of her role.
Bio: Jack Haslett is a writer and photographer covering Golden State Valkyries basketball for Sports Illustrated. Jack has previously published work with the Sporting Tribune, the Long Beach Current and DIG Magazine, covering sports, community events and news. A graduate from Long Beach State University, Jack has a passion for writing, photography and all things sports.