The 2022 WNBA season was the 15th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association. The team began the season on May 14, 2022, on the road against the Dallas Wings.
This was the first season for new head coach Tanisha Wright. Wright was hired on October 12, 2021. Dan Padover was hired as the team's new general manager, while Darius Taylor moved into the assistant general manager role - after serving as the team's interim head coach in the 2021 season.
The season stated well for Wright and the Dream, as they finished May 5–3. However, a stronger schedule in June slowed down their momentum as they finished the month 4–8, including a four game and three game losing streak. The Dream's struggles continued in July as they finished the month 3–7. One bright spot in the month was a win over regular season champions Las Vegas, in Las Vegas. The team lost their last four games of the season and finished 2–4 in August. They finished in tenth place overall, missing the playoffs by one game. Their fourteen wins were the most in a season since 2018 for the team.
Transactions
WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/team/country 1 1 Rhyne Howard Kentucky 2 15 Naz Hillmon Michigan
Trades and Roster Changes DateTransaction October 12, 2021 Hired Tanisha Wright as head coach December 23, 2021 Renounced the rights to Mengran Sun January 4, 2022 Extended Qualifying Offers to Monique Billings and Jaylyn Agnew January 6, 2022 Signed Jaylyn Agnew to a Qualifying Offer January 13, 2022 Waived Tianna Hawkins January 16, 2022 Suspended Maite Cazorla for Full-Season January 18, 2022 Claimed Megan Walker off of Waivers January 31, 2022 Traded a 2023 Third Round Pick to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Kia Vaughn February 1, 2022 Re-Signed Tiffany Hayes to a One-Year Deal Signed Nia Coffey to a One-Year Deal February 3, 2022 Re-Signed Monique Billings to a One-Year Deal February 5, 2022 Traded Chennedy Carter and the rights to Li Yueru to the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Erica Wheeler, a 2023 First-Round Pick, and a 2022 Second Round Pick February 15, 2022 Signed N'dea Jones and Khaalia Hillsman to training-camp contracts February 21, 2022 Signed Kristy Wallace to a Rookie Contract February 23, 2022 Signed Maya Caldwell to a training-camp contract March 29, 2022 Hired Christie Sides, Paul Goriss and Barbara Turner as assistant coaches April 6, 2022 Traded the #3 and #14 picks in the 2022 WNBA Draft, and the right to exchange 1st round picks with the Los Angeles Sparks (from the Erica Wheeler trade) to the Washington Mystics in exchange for the #1 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft April 12, 2022 Signed Que Morrison to a training-camp contract April 18, 2022 Signed Rhyne Howard and Naz Hillmon to rookie-scale contracts April 22, 2022 Waived Khaalia Hillsmon April 23, 2022 Waived Que Morrison April 25, 2022 Waived N'dea Jones April 27, 2022 Waived Jaylyn Agnew May 5, 2022 Waived Maya Caldwell Temporarily Suspend Tiffany Hayes due to Overseas Commitments May 6, 2022 Claimed Beatrice Mompremier of a waivers May 13, 2022 Activated Tiffany Hayes from her Temporary Suspension June 8, 2022 Traded Megan Walker and the rights to Raquel Carrera to the New York Liberty in exchange for AD June 15, 2022 Signed Destiny Slocum to a Hardship Contract June 20, 2022 Signed Maya Caldwell to a Hardship Contract June 23, 2022 Released Destiny Slocum from her Hardship Contract Signed Yvonne Turner to a Hardship Contract June 27, 2022 Released Yvonne Turner and Maya Caldwell from their Hardship Contracts August 2, 2022 Signed Maya Caldwell to a 7-Day Hardship Contract August 9, 2022 Signed Maya Caldwell to a Hardship Contract August 11, 2022 Signed Kaila Charles to a Hardship Contract Temporarily Suspend Tiffany Hayes
Roster
Depth Pos.StarterBench C Cheyenne Parker Kia VaughnBeatrice Mompremier PF Nia Coffey Monique BillingsNaz Hillmon SF Rhyne Howard Maya Caldwell SG Kristy Wallace AD DurrTiffany Hayes PG Erica Wheeler Aari McDonald
Schedule
Preseason
| 1 | April 24 | Washington | W 88–69 | Kristy Wallace (17) | Monique Billings (10) | Aari McDonald (6) | Gateway Center Arena854 | 1–0
| 2 | May 1 | @ Connecticut | L 78–94 | Aari McDonald (12) | Billings/Hillmon (5) | Caldwell/Howard/Parker (3) | Mohegan Sun Arena3,244 | 1–1
Regular season
| 1 | May 7 | @ Dallas | W 66–59 | Rhyne Howard (16) | Monique Billings (14) | Rhyne Howard (4) | College Park Center5,796 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 11 | Los Angeles | W 77–75 | Rhyne Howard (21) | BillingsCoffeyHoward (8) | Erica Wheeler (5) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 2–0 |- | 3 | May 13 | Las Vegas | L 73–96 | Aari McDonald (20) | CoffeyWheeler (7) | ParkerWallaceWheeler (3) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 2–1 |- | 4 | May 15 | @ Indiana | W 85–79 | Rhyne Howard (33) | CoffeyParker (6) | Kristy Wallace (3) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse1,745 | 3–1 |- | 5 | May 17 | @ Indiana | W 101–79 | Rhyne Howard (19) | Aari McDonald (6) | ParkerWheeler (6) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse960 | 4–1 |- | 6 | May 20 | Washington | L 73–78 | Rhyne Howard (21) | Nia Coffey (10) | Kristy Wallace (5) | Gateway Center ArenaN/A | 4–2 |- | 7 | May 24 | @ Washington | L 50–70 | Aari McDonald (10) | ParkerWallace (7) | Erica Wheeler (4) | Entertainment and Sports Arena2,867 | 4–3 |- | 8 | May 29 | Phoenix | W 81–54 | Kristy Wallace (17) | Cheyenne Parker (10) | Rhyne Howard (6) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 5–3
| 9 | June 1 | Minnesota | W 84–76 | Rhyne Howard (22) | Monique Billings (9) | Erica Wheeler (9) | Gateway Center Arena1,268 | 6–3 |- | 10 | June 3 | Chicago | L 65–73 | Cheyenne Parker (19) | Cheyenne Parker (6) | Erica Wheeler (5) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 6–4 |- | 11 | June 5 | Indiana | W 75–66 | CoffeyHoward (16) | Nia Coffey (10) | Erica Wheeler (4) | Gateway Center Arena3,000 | 7–4 |- | 12 | June 7 | @ Seattle | L 60–72 | Cheyenne Parker (13) | Cheyenne Parker (10) | Kristy Wallace (4) | Climate Pledge Arena7,262 | 7–5 |- | 13 | June 10 | @ Phoenix | L 88–90 | Rhyne Howard (25) | Cheyenne Parker (13) | Rhyne Howard (5) | Footprint Center7,650 | 7–6 |- | 14 | June 15 | @ Connecticut | L 92–105 | Asia Durr (21) | Naz Hillmon (9) | Aari McDonald (5) | Mohegan Sun Arena4,014 | 7–7 |- | 15 | June 17 | @ Chicago | L 100–106 (OT) | Asia Durr (21) | HillmonParker (6) | Rhyne Howard (7) | Wintrust Arena7,435 | 7–8 |- | 16 | June 21 | Dallas | W 80–75 | Maya Caldwell (18) | Rhyne Howard (8) | Aari McDonald (5) | Gateway Center ArenaN/A | 8–8 |- | 17 | June 24 | New York | L 77–89 | Asia Durr (23) | Rhyne Howard (8) | Aari McDonald (4) | Gateway Center Arena2,697 | 8–9 |- | 18 | June 26 | Connecticut | L 61–72 | Aari McDonald (17) | Rhyne Howard (7) | HowardMcDonald (4) | Gateway Center Arena2,722 | 8–10 |- | 19 | June 28 | @ Washington | L 74–92 | Asia Durr (13) | MompremierParker (5) | Asia Durr (4) | Entertainment and Sports Arena3,517 | 8–11 |- | 20 | June 30 | @ New York | W 92–81 (OT) | Tiffany Hayes (21) | HillmonParker (7) | Erica Wheeler (8) | Barclays Center6,161 | 9–11
| 21 | July 3 | Seattle | W 90–76 | Cheyenne Parker (21) | Monique Billings (10) | Kristy Wallace (6) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 10–11 |- | 22 | July 6 | Washington | L 66–85 | BillingsHayesR. HowardCh. Parker (10) | Monique Billings (9) | Monique Billings (4) | Gateway Center Arena1,810 | 10–12 |- | 23 | July 12 | @ Chicago | L 75–90 | Cheyenne Parker (14) | Tiffany Hayes (8) | R. HowardMcDonald (3) | Wintrust Arena7,074 | 10–13 |- | 24 | July 15 | Connecticut | L 68–93 | Tiffany Hayes (18) | Naz Hillmon (11) | Erica Wheeler (6) | Gateway Center Arena2,962 | 10–14 |- | 25 | July 17 | @ Phoenix | W 85–75 | Cheyenne Parker (21) | Cheyenne Parker (12) | Erica Wheeler (7) | Footprint Center7,963 | 11–14 |- | 26 | July 19 | @ Las Vegas | W 92–76 | Tiffany Hayes (31) | Naz Hillmon (10) | Cheyenne Parker (5) | Michelob Ultra Arena5,952 | 12–14 |- | 27 | July 21 | @ Los Angeles | L 78–85 | HayesMcDonald (18) | Rhyne Howard (9) | Ch. ParkerWheeler (4) | Crypto.com Arena10,021 | 12–15 |- | 28 | July 24 | @ Seattle | L 72–82 | Rhyne Howard (23) | Naz Hillmon (14) | HillmonWheeler (4) | Climate Pledge Arena12,654 | 12–16 |- | 29 | July 28 | Minnesota | L 85–92 | Tiffany Hayes (24) | HillmonCh. Parker (6) | Aari McDonald (3) | Gateway Center Arena2,396 | 12–17 |- | 30 | July 30 | Dallas | L 68–81 | Rhyne Howard (22) | HillmonR. HowardCh. Parker (6) | Erica Wheeler (6) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 12–18
| 31 | August 3 | Indiana | W 91–81 | Rhyne Howard (20) | Maya Caldwell (7) | CaldwellMcDonald (6) | Gateway Center Arena2,071 | 13–18 |- | 32 | August 5 | Los Angeles | W 88–86 | Rhyne Howard (28) | Naz Hillmon (9) | Erica Wheeler (4) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 14–18 |- | 33 | August 7 | @ Minnesota | L 71–81 | R. HowardMcDonald (16) | Naz Hillmon (7) | Cheyenne Parker (5) | Target Center9,421 | 14–19 |- | 34 | August 9 | @ Las Vegas | L 90–97 | CaldwellWheeler (17) | Naz Hillmon (8) | McDonaldCh. Parker (5) | Michelob Ultra Arena5,151 | 14–20 |- | 35 | August 12 | New York | L 70–80 | Erica Wheeler (16) | Monique Billings (9) | Erica Wheeler (3) | Gateway Center Arena3,138 | 14–21 |- | 36 | August 14 | @ New York | L 83–87 | Rhyne Howard (24) | Naz Hillmon (7) | Rhyne Howard (7) | Barclays Center7,489 | 14–22
Standings
Statistics
Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Rhyne Howard 34 34 31.4 .361 .343 .792 4.5 2.8 1.6 0.8 16.2 Tiffany Hayes 11 11 27.5 .545 .429 .683 3.6 2.1 0.7 0.1 16.2 Cheyenne Parker 36 35 26.2 .500 .218 .795 6.2 2.0 1.1 0.9 11.8 Aari McDonald 36 6 24.3 .411 .338 .871 2.3 2.6 1.4 0.0 11.1 Maya Caldwell≠ 9 7 23.8 .514 .563 .800 2.4 2.2 0.8 0.2 10.9 AD Durr≠ 15 2 19.9 .422 .458 .774 1.9 1.7 0.3 0.1 10.7 Erica Wheeler 30 30 26.3 .355 .329 .756 3.1 3.9 1.1 0.1 8.4 Kristy Wallace 29 18 20.8 .407 .368 786 2.3 2.2 0.6 0.2 6.6 Monique Billings 23 8 17.4 .470 .000 .765 6.3 1.1 0.8 0.3 6.5 Nia Coffey 16 16 21.0 .347 .290 .742 5.2 0.8 0.6 0.1 6.4 Destiny Slocum‡ 3 0 13.7 .364 .333 .600 1.3 1.3 0.0 0.0 4.7 Naz Hillmon 34 12 19.8 .480 .000 .821 5.1 1.2 0.6 0.3 4.4 Megan Walker† 12 0 9.6 .368 .368 .667 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.0 3.3 Kia Vaughn 29 1 13.8 .400 .000 .692 3.2 0.9 0.3 0.3 2.5 Beatrice Mompremier 21 0 8.3 .455 .000 .385 2.8 0.4 0.1 0.6 2.1 Yvonne Turner‡ 2 0 8.0 .000 .000 .500 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 Kaila Charles≠ 1 0 2.0 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ‡Waived/Released during the season †Traded during the season ≠Acquired during the season
Awards and honors Recipient Award Date awarded Ref. Rhyne Howard Eastern Conference Player of the Week May 16 WNBA Rookie of the Month - May June 1 WNBA All-Star Selection June 28 WNBA Rookie of the Month - June July 5 WNBA Rookie of the Month - July August 2 WNBA Rookie of the Month - August August 16 WNBA Rookie of the Year August 25 WNBA All-Rookie Team August 25
References
External links The Official Site of the Atlanta Dream