The Atlanta Dream concluded the first week of training camp at Core 4, a training facility just outside of town with a 5-5 scrimmage on Saturday, May 3rd.
After the team defeated the huddle, the media was directed to an adjacent court in the background set up for interviews with some of the dream players. While we waited, the team representative told us, “Hailey.” [Jones] It’ll be over soon. She’s taking some shots. ”
If you followed the offseason of your dreams, this should not be a surprise. The “online” share-and-stretch attack scheme focuses on three-point shots, with Carls Mesco’s employment driving to the rim for a simple layup, bringing all players to extra shots.
This year, everyone will be filming the three of them for their Atlanta dreams.
Literally everyone.
“I’m very excited this year,” Guard Alisha Gray said with a smile on her face on the first day of practice. “We’re going to shoot a lot of three.”
It was clear to Grey on the first day, and after a week of camp, others saw it too.
Jones, a third-year player at Stanford University, wasn’t the only person doing extra shooting work. Every hoop around the gym had players paired with another coach.
Rookie Maria Gakuden? Shoot 3. Taylor Thierry? Shoot 3.
Near Coffey. Ashley Johns. Rhyne Howard.
They were all getting up to the post-practical shots beyond the arc.
Jordan Canada, the starting point guard for the Atlanta Dream, did not finish the first day of practice until he made five consecutive shots from each corner, each wing and the top of the arc.
Even the backup big Nazhirmon, who took all three total shots from Deep last year, has taken part in the action.
“To be honest, I got there,” Hillmon said when asked about adding a three-point shot to her offensive repertoire. “It was a bit of a learning curve for me, but I just take a picture of something that’s really open. I can shrug, make, and miss it, but I can see what open shots work for me.”
Being able to perform three is a big part of being successful in Smesco’s attack. This philosophy is to not only produce large quantities of production, but also to ensure that it is the most efficient appearance of attacks on certain possessions. His team at Florida Gulf University finished off on an offensive rating above the 91st percentile of the Division I team, and attempted three-point attempts averaged 32.1 per game over the last nine seasons.
There’s a question: what does the interval look like? Two traditional big ones: Britney Greener and Briona Jones Living in their paint?
“BG is a great passerby, a great rebounder, a great screener and she’s even on the three-point line right now,” Gray said with a laugh.
It’s interesting, but it’s also key to an offensive approach to work.
Griner began expanding her range more last year in Phoenix. She had the most effective field goal percentage (EFG%) of her career (59.1%), but she attempted 18 threes in her final year with Phoenix. That’s 41% of her total A career 3-point attempt. She followed suit with nine attempts in an unparalleled 3-3 league this offseason as a member of Phantom BC.
“She’s very dominant with paint. It definitely opens everything for everyone. People have to choose their own poison.” Newcomer Bryonna Jones said about Gleaner to Wilton C. Jackson.
It’s interesting to hear Jones say because it’s another important part of their spacing puzzle. The two-time WNBA All-Star Jones made the fourth attempt per game from 5 feet (6.7 per game) in 2024, attempting just 2.1 shots between 5 and 14 feet.
Jones told Meghan Hall of Today in USA that it was “not” that she was outside with a greener on the floor, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. The actual look of things seemed to me, Jones also tweaked well.
“We didn’t have players like BG or Bri Jones at Florida Gulf University. We’re going to take advanced return shots,” Smesko said, adding that both players have more freedom than just a post player.
Together there are legitimate concerns about the spacing between Jones and Gleaner. But just because Atlanta’s dream starts the game with a starting lineup of Canada, Gray, Howard, Jones and Gleaner doesn’t mean that this unit is always in court together.
Both Griner and Jones show their willingness to expand their range and their ability to do so well, but they see their dreams shifting their minutes. If what we actually see is a sign of Atlanta’s plan, even Coffey, Hillmon and Haley Jones are sinking in to play the power on the other side of the five Griner and Bri Jones.
“I’m really excited about it. I think over the past few years they’ve had to play point guard. That’s the only thing I’ve played. “Curl moves to this system. [Smesko] By allowing you to play 1-2-3-4 with many movements, you can turn off the screen and set the screen.
Haley Jones had been sinking for Bri-Jones during the team drill. That’s what Jones is trying to achieve at the WNBA level.
“It feels like my whole skill set is being used,” she said, adding, “I want to go back to Haley Jones.” “There’s a lot of freedom and he’s learning to trust me with that freedom.”
Some of that freedom with Jones and Smesco include the Jones Shooting Three. It’s a weaker part of her game as she shot 21.4% from behind the arc in each of the two WNBA seasons.
When watching Jones, she slows her release as she has a hitch in her shot.
Haley Jones line it up and defeats it 🎯
Dream-Lynx for the Reague League Pass pic.twitter.com/g5bc4radzl
– WNBA (@WNBA) June 20, 2024
However, during training camp, she works with Smesko on a shot to improve the release.
Dream coach Carl Smesco gave Hailey Jones some pointers in her three-pointer.
One thing I can say is that I am totally hoping Atlanta will shoot many of the three. They’re flying today during practice. pic.twitter.com/25pbhh0aeo
– Meghan L. Hall (@itsmeghanlhall) May 2, 2025
“I’m confident. I came back from Australia and trained with my coach. I took 10 Carl Mandant back to the Bay,” Haley Jones told Winciddle. “Working on the three balls was my focus. I’m sure I’ll pull it in training so I’m going to shoot it in the game and look for my shots.”
It’s something Smesko hopes to have confidence in taking the right shots, with all players going from one to five. This year, there are many different lineups out there.
During that scrimmage, Atlanta’s dream had a lineup of Te Hina Paopao, Gray, Haley Jones, Hillmon and Coffey on the floor, and one group was particularly eye-catching as Paopao and Gray acted as lead guard and Jones as three screeners and spacers.
“I’m very excited, I think this is the right situation for me,” Paopao said. “I’m really excited that my coach’s offense really works with my offense. It’s closely related to my offense and my skills.”
Paopao passed some open looks during Scrimmage. This is understandable for newcomers. Smesco said something to her as the unit spins and she didn’t hesitate to shoot an open 3 next time on the floor.
Everyone needs to be ready to shoot.
everyone.
“He’s a coach for a reason. Even if the coach tells us to do it, we do it,” Gray told Winciddle. “He’s not just doing something to do that. I’m 1,000% supporting him. I’m behind him, I’m behind him.”
That applies to everyone on the roster, from Howard to the last player on the roster. Because the season of Atlanta’s dreams is determined by the three of them.
And don’t worry if they miss a shot. There are:
