Atlanta Dream fires Tanisha Wright. Could a recently fired coach step in?

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Dream announced that Tanisha Wright would not be returning as the franchise’s head coach.

In a positive tenure in 2022, which at that point saw the highest win total since 2018, Wright did not see a positive increase in wins as the Dream continued to add talent to the roster in subsequent years.

Of the three franchises that fired their coaches after the 2024 WNBA season, the Dream clearly have the most immediate talent. Most teams would be lucky to have either Rhyne Howard or Allisha Gray as a franchise cornerstone, and the Dream boast both, along with several other solid talents.

The other two franchises that fired their coaches, the Sparks and Sky, fired two coaches with strong but different arguments for why they could be the coach to take this talented Atlanta Dream team to the next level.

Curt Miller, former head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks

Curt Miller has found himself in a strange middle ground as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks this season. You have two great rookies in Cameron Brink, who is out with a season-ending injury, and Rickea Jackson, who really hit her stride at the end of the season.

With Dearica Hamby there is also an experienced player who plays at an All-WNBA level. Added to this is the large number of missed games by several players as well as the upcoming WNBA Draft Lottery, with Paige Bueckers at the top of the entire WNBA’s wish list. You have a team that is not 100% sure that it wants to win games.

Here Miller had no success in the WNBA. His success lies in coaching veteran-led teams that pursue their championship goals at full speed. His tenure with the Connecticut Sun is a much better indicator of how he could develop the Atlanta Dream. In his seven years at the helm, six of them ended with a place in the top three in the overall standings.

This Dream squad should have these expectations of themselves in many ways. Their full core of key contributors range from several years of WNBA experience to well over a decade in the revitalized Tina Charles. This is a squad that is much more aligned to Miller’s coaching strengths and past successes; Don’t be surprised to see him for this job.

Teresa Weatherspoon, former Chicago Sky head coach

Teresa Weatherspoon brings a completely different skill set to the job at Atlanta Dream.

A major issue that surfaced at times for the Dream was the team’s energy, mindset and culture on the pitch. There have been several instances during this WNBA season where leads were lost and games could not be completed. At times a general lack of will was evident.

This is where Weatherspoon can come into play. She’s been able to find real buy-in from several players in Chicago this season, particularly Angel Reese and Chennedy Carter, and if the Dream can collectively commit and adopt Weatherspoon’s mentality, it could take them to the next level.

It’s important to note that there have certainly been growing pains this year as a head coach. While this is definitely something to consider, it is also important to consider the roster talent that the Dream have compared to the Sky, as well as the lessons that can be learned from this year in the lead coach role.