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What does success look like for the Atlanta Dream in the 2023 WNBA season?

By Lukas Petridis

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 19: Rhyne Howard #10 of the Atlanta Dream passes the ball up the court as she and teammate Cheyenne Parker #32 start a fast break against the Las Vegas Aces during their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on July 19, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Dream defeated the Aces 92-76. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 19: Rhyne Howard #10 of the Atlanta Dream passes the ball up the court as she and teammate Cheyenne Parker #32 start a fast break against the Las Vegas Aces during their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on July 19, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Dream defeated the Aces 92-76. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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For the Atlanta Dream, the 2023 WNBA season is all about developing their talented young players and building a winning culture for the future.

The Atlanta Dream may have the WNBA’s next superstar in Rhyne Howard. Natives of Georgia may contend that she has already claimed superstar status. Wherever you stand on the matter, her rookie campaign saw her average 16.2 points, 4 and a half rebounds and 2.8 assists, joining the elite of the elite rookie seasons.

The departure of Tiffany Hayes should see a more diversified attack in Atlanta, with Howard receiving more of the guard and wing touches and Cheyenne Parker creating offense from the inside out. Mix Parker’s post-play with more responsibility as a playmaker and the Dream could be on track to creating a more potent offense.

The Dream may not have foreseen Howard having such a strong impact so early into her career which could have played a part in their second-last ranking in the league for offensive rating last season. Atlanta should strive for a top 6 offense in the league for the 2023 WNBA season.

The upcoming season is looking to be extremely competitive so a young, up-and-coming team should be setting realistic goals. Allowing for individual development at the cost of wins may be a tradeoff that the Dream need to make if they are to build a steady, long-term product. Of their 13 players, nine are aged 26 or younger and of those nine players, few have seen much in terms of consistent minutes on a WNBA court. And the WNBA Draft is still to come.

The Atlanta Dream may be one of the youngest teams in the WNBA this season

This presents the roster with a lot of opportunities. It should breed healthy competition for minutes and this aspect alone should allow for development that players themselves bring to the organization. Such competition will be very telling for the personalities in Atlanta and will indicate what types of people this team will want to keep alongside Howard and Parker beyond this season.

From this charcuterie board of minutes to fill, a healthy appetite will hopefully be found. If Atlanta can go into the 2024 WNBA season with 6 solid contributors from their 2023 rotation then this should also be seen as an indication of a successful season.

Striving for a top-half finish in offense and defense and building a rotation for the future should be atop the Dream’s priorities this upcoming season. If they can establish a game plan that has their 2024 campaign front of mind then this will allow them to build something substantial while the superteams command the upcoming season.

Setting realistic goals in the short term will afford Atlanta long-term success. Although it might not seem as though the stakes are high for them this season, playing this step correctly will prove crucial for the future.

dark. Next. What does success look like for the Connecticut Sun?

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