The Glue That Keeps the Atlanta Dream Together » Winsidr

When you look at the list of all-time leaders in Atlanta Dream history, the name you will find at the top of the majority of the categories is the legendary Angel McCoughtry. While current superstars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray could overtake some of those categories in the future, there’s one player who is weeks away from becoming the Iron Woman of the Atlanta Dream.

That’s Naz Hillmon, who is second on the all-time list for consecutive games played at 124 and counting, as she approaches the 127-game mark set by Iziane Castro Marques from 2008 to 2011.

“I think that it’s about preparation and taking care of my body,” Hillmon said after practice at Overtime Elite Arena. “I’m in the gym all of the time, and I think that goes with it. Erica Wheeler told me during my rookie year to always get here early. I pride myself on being available.”

Naz Hillmon is set to break the record on July 13 in New York against the Liberty.

The idea of availability being the best ability was instilled in Hillmon at a young age.

“My dad would always talk to me about rest [and]recovery, and make sure that I took care of myself,” Hillmon said.

And it wasn’t just her dad who was a basketball influence on her. 

Hillmon, who grew up outside of Cleveland, comes from a long line of basketball players in her family. Her mother was an All-American at Vanderbilt, and her grandmother played at the nearby Cleveland State University. 

The phrase ball is life gets used a lot, but for Hillmon, it’s true.

“People asked if I was worried about missing out on middle school or high school because I was focused on basketball,” she said, “but it’s what I loved.”

While the preparation in the gym is a big part of staying healthy and available for the Dream, the 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan also focuses on the little things that make the difference, too.

Let’s set the scene, if you will.

During the practice session, when the Dream were getting ready to play the Washington Mystics, Hillmon’s group was on the floor, defending against the sets the Mystics were going to throw at them.

A shot went up from one of the male practice players, and another practice player crashed the boards to get the offensive rebound.

Head Coach Karl Smesko was on the sideline, and after the play, he addressed his team, saying, “OK, should I be more upset about the lack of communication or the lack of boxing out?”

Every player on the Dream knew the answer. Every media member who attended a Dream practice knew the answer. Every trainer knew the answer.

Communication.

Smesko has emphasized it over and over again, wanting his players to communicate loudly on defense.

There are two players who do this time and time again at a high level.

Hillmon and Brionna Jones.

“Yeah, Breezy (Jones) and I try to be vocal leaders on the floor,” Hillmon said. “I try to do those little things that help the team. And by doing those little things, you make yourself available.”

They may be little things, but they are seen—and heard—by Hillmon’s teammates and coaches.

“Naz is a great leader. Like, when she talks, you listen … sometimes,” Te-Hina Paopao joked. 

The rookie has adopted a role as the little sister on the experienced Dream roster, and ribbing her vets comes with the part. 

“She’s just a very vocal leader and leads by example,” Paopao said. “She comes in every day with the mindset of getting better and doing what she can do to help the team succeed. It’s something that inspires me to be a better leader.”

@thewinsidr Te-Hina Paopao compliments Naz Hilmon and speaks to how her vet has influenced her rookie season so far 😌 #wnba #wbb #atldream #atlantadream #paopao #tehinapaopao #nazhillmon ♬ original sound – Winsidr

There’s a lot of different nicknames that go around for Hillmon around the team. You heard Paopao call her a ‘leader’. Smesko calls her ‘fantastic’. She’s a vocal director on the floor. A leader of the bench unit called the ‘Bench Mob’.

But another way to look at Hillmon is being the glue of the team.

“I like that,” Hillmon said. “The glue. Things fall apart without the glue, so I think that’s a good way to put it.”

Take, for instance, the valuable minutes the Atlanta bench plays to give their starters a breath. They are playing at a level higher than most other bench units in the league.

And for the Dream, the minutes that Hillmon plays are among the most valuable of any player on the team.

Using three-player lineups for the Dream, Naz Hillmon appears in the top 10 configurations for the Dream in net rating as of July 1.

Hillmon has had success off the bench through diversifying her game, leaning into another key element of staying on the floor under first-year head coach Smesko.

“When I heard Coach was coming here, my first thought was that I wish I started shooting threes sooner,” Hillmon said, with a laugh.

Hillmon was familiar with his style of play, as her Michigan Wolverines defeated Smesko’s Florida Gulf Coast Eagles’ team in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Hillmon knew what was coming with his offense, so she went right to the gym in preparation.

“I’m getting there, to be honest,” Hillmon said during the third day of training camp about shooting the three. “It’s been a little bit of a learning curve for me, but it’s really just taking the open ones. I can shrug off, make or miss, but it’s being able to see what open shots are working for me.”

In her first three seasons, Hillmon attempted a total of six three-pointers under former coach Tanisha Wright.

But now, Hillmon is a threat from the outside, shooting 38.7 percent from behind the arc on 12-of-31 attempts.

“It’s great to see her develop confidence in her shot and looking for her shot,” Smesko said. “Our assistant coach Chelsea Lyles has been working with her shot since training camp, and the shot has come a long way. I think she’s a legitimate good shooter right now and will only get better.”

The three-ball is just another way that Hillmon has adapted. Because that’s what it’s all about. To have your number called in 124 consecutive games and counting, you have to adapt. You have to be available. You have to adjust.

And that’s exactly what Naz Hillmon has done and will continue to do for the Dream, one game at a time.