Dream dominate Sun, Smesko sets WNBA first-year coaching record

Sports

Rhyne Howard leads five-player double-figure attack as Atlanta pulls away in the second half; first-year coach earns 29th win, the most by a WNBA rookie coach since 2008.

A general view of the Atlanta Dream logo is shown at center court before their game against the Minnesota Lynx in an WNBA game at the Gateway Center Arena, Friday, June 27, 2025, in College Park, Ga. (Jason Getz / AJC)

By the time Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go” echoed through a sold-out Gateway Center Arena, fans were on their feet, swaying and singing along. What had started as a back-and-forth grind had long since turned into a party, as the Atlanta Dream pulled away and danced their way to an 87-62 rout of the Connecticut Sun on Monday night.

For the Dream, the win was more than just another tally in the standings. It lifted them to 29-14 and gave them a 2-1 edge against Connecticut (11-32) with one meeting still to come. It also stamped a milestone for first-year coach Karl Smesko, whose 29 victories stand as the most ever by a WNBA coach in an inaugural season, eclipsing the 28 Michael Cooper notched with the Los Angeles Sparks back in 2008.

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