When the Atlanta Dream drafted Angel Reese’s teammate Naz Hillmon alongside Rhyne Howard in 2022, it had already been nine years since the franchise last appeared in the Women’s WNBA Finals. And that wait continued for three more seasons, with Atlanta unable to return to the championship stage until this 2026 season, when the Dream finally earned their place in the Finals against the Golden State Valkyries.
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Despite the long wait, however, winning a WNBA championship was always the dream. In fact, according to Hillmon, that was the goal Atlanta general manager Dan Padover set for her and Howard when they were first drafted to the organization in 2022.
“It’s really special, because when me and Rhyne got drafted, Dan [Padover] had a goal for us to win multiple championships,” Hillmon said in an interview with ClutchPoints’ Malik Brown. “And now seeing that we have the opportunity to do that, it’s been really special.”
“Things have changed a lot in the organization from our first year to now, but some things have stayed constant, and those things that have stayed constant have definitely helped us to get to this point,” she added.
Hillmon was selected 15th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the second round of the 2022 WNBA Draft, while Howard was selected first overall in the same draft. And while the dream of winning a championship was already part of the plan, the team’s first season together did not suggest that the goal would be achieved anytime soon, as Atlanta failed to make the playoffs in 2022.
The next two seasons also ended in disappointment, with the Dream suffering consecutive first-round sweeps against the Dallas Wings in 2023 and the New York Liberty in 2024. Last season brought another early exit, as Atlanta lost 2-1 to the Indiana Fever in the first round. However, the hiring of head coach Karl Smesko marked a turning point for the franchise, laying the foundation for the remarkable progress the Dream have made this season.
Building on that foundation, Atlanta made sure to retain its entire core of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada, Naz Hillmon, and Brionna Jones. The franchise also brought in a superstar in Angel Reese, who has since fit into the team seamlessly, anchoring the interior defense and generating endless second-chance opportunities with her historic rebounding. With those pieces in place, the Dream now have their first real shot at a WNBA championship in years.
It has already been a remarkable season for the Dream, who have gone from years of playoff disappointments to competing for the championship. But with the Finals now underway, they cannot afford to get too excited just yet. Hillmon knows that reaching this stage is only part of the mission. Atlanta must now finish the job and get its hands on the trophy.
Naz Hillmon Sends Cautionary Message to Atlanta Dream Amid WNBA Finals Run
Reaching the WNBA Finals is undoubtedly an exciting moment for the Atlanta Dream, especially after years of falling short in the playoffs. However, for Naz Hillmon, one lesson she learned during her college career is that the team must remain level-headed, regardless of how big the occasion is. While the opportunity to compete for a championship deserves to be enjoyed, Hillmon believes Atlanta cannot afford to get carried away before the job is done.
“Something I took from college, my coaches would tell me you can’t get too high, and you can’t get too low,” Hillmon said. “That’s what this moment is. It’s an exciting moment; who knows when you’ll get back, so you want to enjoy it. But at the same time, you want to be the one holding the trophy, so you can’t celebrate too early.”
Hillmon, however, is not the only person preaching caution to the Atlanta Dream amid their Finals run. According to Angel Reese, veteran forward DeWanna Bonner has also been instrumental in keeping the team grounded, drawing from her own experience of reaching the championship stage and falling short.
“One thing about her, she keeps it real, and she keeps us humble,” Reese said after the Dream’s semifinal series against the New York Liberty. “You need that in the locker room, especially for myself. This is my first time ever going to the Finals, and we were all happy. And then she was like, ‘Y’all, I’ve been to the Finals and got swept before. You can’t get too high.”
According to Hillmon, the leadership Bonner brings to the team has been invaluable, particularly in moments when the players need encouragement or a reminder of what lies ahead. Her experience allows her to recognize when the team needs to be lifted and when it needs to regain its composure.
“Sometimes I come in the huddle, and she’s already talking,” Hillmon said. “She’s a vet’s vet. She always knows what to say, whether it’s to pick us up, hype us up or calm us down.”
With Hillmon and Howard’s long-standing championship dream finally within reach, Atlanta has every reason to celebrate how far it has come. However, the message from Hillmon and DeWanna Bonner remains clear: the journey is not over yet. The Dream have earned their place in the Finals, but their ultimate goal is to lift the championship trophy, and that is what they must remain focused on as they face the Golden State Valkyries.