# 2021 Atlanta Dream season

The 2021 WNBA season was the 14th season for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association. The team began the season on May 14, 2021 at home against the Connecticut Sun.
This was the first season that the Dream will play home games at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park. In the 2019 offseason the team elected to move from State Farm Arena. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was played at a neutral site.
Mike Petersen began the season as interim head coach, but stepped down on July 24 for health reasons. Darius Taylor took over as interim coach through the end of the regular season.
The Dream began the season by losing their first two games, but then going on a four game winning streak. That win streak was followed by a four game losing streak. After winning their next game, the Dream were 5–6 through their first eleven games. However, the Dream could only win one more of their next eight games to go into the Olympic break with a record of 6–13. The team's struggles continued after the break as they lost seven straight games. They did manage to win two of their last five games to finish with an 8–24 record.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/team/country |
| 1 | 3 | Aari McDonald | United States | Arizona |
| 2 | 15 | Raquel Carrera | Spain | Valencia Basket (Spain) |
| 3 | 27 | Lindsey Pulliam | United States | Northwestern |

### Trades and Roster Changes

| Date | Details |
| December 9, 2020 | Exercised Team Options on Kalani Brown and Maite Cazorla |
| January 2, 2021 | Extended a Qualifying Offer to Kaela Davis, Jaylyn Agnew, and Blake Dietrick |
| February 1, 2021 | Signed Cheyenne Parker |
| February 4, 2021 | Signed Tianna Hawkins |
| February 5, 2021 | Renounced the rights to Kobi Thornton |
| February 9, 2021 | Renee Montgomery announced her Retirement |
| February 13, 2021 | Traded a 3rd round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Yvonne Turner |
| February 21, 2021 | Signed Kaela Davis to a training-camp contract |
| February 21, 2021 | Waived Mikayla Pivec and Brittany Brewer |
| February 22, 2021 | Signed Shatori Walker-Kimbrough |
| March 1, 2021 | Signed Odyssey Sims |
| April 17, 2021 | Signed Crystal Bradford and Mikayla Cowling to training camp contracts |
| April 18, 2021 | Signed Aari McDonald and Lindsey Pulliam |
| May 3, 2021 | Mike Petersen promoted to interim head coach after Nicki Collen leaves for Baylor |
| May 5, 2021 | Waived Yvonne Turner. |
| May 9, 2021 | Waived Kaela Davis and Lindsey Pulliam |
| May 13, 2021 | Waived Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Mikayla Cowling |
| May 26, 2021 | Waived Kalani Brown |
| July 6, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend Chennedy Carter |
| July 26, 2021 | Signed Candice Dupree. |
| August 14, 2021 | Cheyenne Parker moved to the Inactive List due to Pregnancy |
| August 24, 2021 | Signed Blake Dietrick. |

## Roster
### Depth

| Pos. | Starter | Bench |
| C | Elizabeth Williams | Cheyenne Parker |
| PF | Monique Billings | Candice Dupree Tianna Hawkins |
| SF | Tiffany Hayes | Crystal Bradford Shekinna Stricklen |
| SG | Courtney Williams | Blake Dietrick |
| PG | Odyssey Sims | Aari McDonald Chennedy Carter |

## Schedule
### Preseason

2021 pre-season game log :
May: 2–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 1
Minnesota
W 69–61
Parker Sims (12)
Monique Billings (7)
Courtney Williams (5)
Gateway Center Arena 0
1–0
2
May 5
@ Washington
W 87–80
Billings Sims (13)
Monique Billings (7)
Williams McDonald Bradford (2)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 0
2–0 :
2021 pre-season schedule :
* The preseason game vs. Minnesota was a scrimmage. The second half gave both teams multiple possessions and was not played like a real game.

### Regular season

2021 game log Total: 8–24 (Home: 4–12; Road: 4–12) :
May: 4–2 (Home: 1–2; Road: 3–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 14
Connecticut
L 67–78
Sims C. Williams (14)
Billings Bradford (5)
Courtney Williams (4)
Gateway Center Arena 561
0–1
2
May 19
Chicago
L 77–85
Courtney Williams (24)
Billings C. Williams (8)
Chennedy Carter (6)
Gateway Center Arena 689
0–2
3
May 21
@ Indiana
W 83–79
Chennedy Carter (23)
Monique Billings (7)
Carter C. Williams (4)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
1–2
4
May 25
@ Chicago
W 90–83
Tiffany Hayes (26)
Monique Billings (7)
Aari McDonald (5)
Wintrust Arena 1,004
2–2
5
May 27
Dallas
W 101–95
Tiffany Hayes (26)
Monique Billings (11)
Courtney Williams (5)
Gateway Center Arena 711
3–2
6
May 29
@ New York
W 90–87
Courtney Williams (31)
Courtney Williams (12)
Courtney Williams (7)
Barclays Center 1,235
4–2 :
June
: 2–7 (Home: 2–4; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
7
June 4
@ Minnesota
L 84-86
Tiffany Hayes (23)
Courtney Williams (10)
Odyssey Sims (6)
Target Center 2,024
4–3
8
June 6
@ Minnesota
L 80–100
Tiffany Hayes (21)
Monique Billings (6)
Courtney Williams (5)
Target Center 2,021
4–4
9
June 9
Seattle
L 71–95
Tiffany Hayes (22)
Elizabeth Williams (12)
Courtney Williams (6)
Gateway Center Arena 1,014
4–5
10
June 11
Seattle
L 75–86
Courtney Williams (19)
Courtney Williams (11)
Hayes Sims (4)
Gateway Center Arena 1,405
4–6
11
June 13
Washington
W 101–78
Courtney Williams (21)
Elizabeth Williams (7)
Tiffany Hayes (6)
Gateway Center Arena 1,122
5–6
12
June 17
@ Washington
L 93–96
Odyssey Sims (22)
Tianna Hawkins (9)
Odyssey Sims (7)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
5–7
13
June 23
Minnesota
L 85–87
Courtney Williams (24)
Parker E. Williams (7)
Cheyenne Parker (5)
Gateway Center Arena 907
5–8
14
June 26
New York
L 78–101
Chennedy Carter (24)
Monique Billings (9)
Sims C. Williams (4)
Gateway Center Arena 1,605
5–9
15
June 29
New York
W 73–69
Courtney Williams (18)
Billings Bradford (7)
Carter C. Williams (4)
Gateway Center Arena 1,131
6–9 :
July
: 0–4 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
July 2
@ Seattle
L 88–91
Courtney Williams (20)
Billings C. Williams (8)
Bradford C. Williams (7)
Angel of the Winds Arena 3,011
6–10
17
July 4
@ Las Vegas
L 95–118
Courtney Williams (19)
Cheyenne Parker (7)
Odyssey Sims (13)
Michelob Ultra Arena 2,705
6–11
18
July 9
@ Connecticut
L 72–84
Cheyenne Parker (15)
Parker Sims (6)
McDonald Sims C. Williams (3)
Mohegan Sun Arena 2,286
6–12
19
July 11
Indiana
L 68–79
Odyssey Sims (20)
Elizabeth Williams (7)
Courtney Williams (5)
Gateway Center Arena 1,897
6–13 :
August
: 0–6 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
20
August 15
@ Phoenix
L 81–92
Courtney Williams (30)
Monique Billings (8)
Courtney Williams (6)
Phoenix Suns Arena 7,491
6–14
21
August 17
@ Los Angeles
L 80–85 (OT)
Odyssey Sims (26)
Courtney Williams (9)
Odyssey Sims (6)
Staples Center 2,200
6–15
22
August 19
@ Los Angeles
L 64–66
Courtney Williams (23)
Courtney Williams (11)
Courtney Williams (4)
Staples Center 1,885
6–16
23
August 21
Phoenix
L 69–84
Odyssey Sims (16)
Courtney Williams (7)
Courtney Williams (4)
Gateway Center Arena 2,073
6–17
24
August 24
Chicago
L 79–86
Odyssey Sims (17)
Monique Billings (8)
Odyssey Sims (5)
Gateway Center Arena 1,292
6–18
25
August 26
Las Vegas
L 71–78
Monique Billings (21)
Hayes C. Williams (8)
Courtney Williams (5)
Gateway Center Arena 2,182
6–19 :
September
: 2–5 (Home: 1–2; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
September 2
@ Dallas
L 68–72
Courtney Williams (25)
Monique Billings (11)
Courtney Williams (7)
College Park Center 1,975
6–20
27
September 5
@ Dallas
W 69–64
Tiffany Hayes (22)
Monique Billings (14)
Monique Billings (4)
College Park Center 2,386
7–20
28
September 8
Phoenix
L 75–76
Courtney Williams (20)
Courtney Williams (14)
Courtney Williams (5)
Gateway Center Arena 1,215
7–21
29
September 10
@ Washington
L 74–82
Courtney Williams (23)
Monique Billings (10)
Tiffany Hayes (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,320
7–22
30
September 14
Indiana
W 85–78
Tiffany Hayes (31)
Courtney Williams (11)
Aari McDonald (6)
Gateway Center Arena 1,208
8–22
31
September 16
Los Angeles
L 68–74
Tiffany Hayes (25)
Courtney Williams (10)
Hayes Sims (3)
Gateway Center Arena 2,537
8–23
32
September 19
@ Connecticut
L 64–84
Courtney Williams (18)
Billings C. Williams (6)
Aari McDonald (4)
Mohegan Sun Arena 4,724
8–24 :
2021 season schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Connecticut Sun | 26 | 6 | .813 | – | 12–3 | 15–1 | 11–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 24 | 8 | .750 | 2 | 11–4 | 13–3 | 11–5 | 6–4 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 22 | 10 | .688 | 4 | 10–5 | 13–3 | 9–7 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Seattle Storm | 21 | 11 | .656 | 5 | 9–6 | 11–5 | 10–6 | 8–2 |
| 5 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 13 | .594 | 7 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 12–4 | 5–5 |
| 6 | x – Chicago Sky | 16 | 16 | .500 | 10 | 10–5 | 6–10 | 10–6 | 6–4 |
| 7 | x – Dallas Wings | 14 | 18 | .438 | 12 | 7–8 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 3–7 |
| 8 | x – New York Liberty | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 5–11 | 5–5 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 7–8 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 10 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 2–13 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 1–9 |
| 11 | e – Atlanta Dream | 8 | 24 | .250 | 18 | 6–9 | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 26 | .188 | 20 | 4–11 | 4–12 | 2–14 | 2–8 |
* v
* t
* e
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Statistics
### Regular season

Source:
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Courtney Williams | 32 | 32 | 34.4 | 41.8 | 38.2 | 64.2 | 6.8 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 16.5 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 21 | 19 | 28.3 | 43.8 | 40.5 | 85.3 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 14.7 |
| Chennedy Carter | 11 | 11 | 25.5 | 45.5 | 11.1 | 87.5 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 14.2 |
| Crystal Bradford | 24 | 9 | 18.3 | 42.9 | 35.8 | 46.2 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 8.8 |
| Odyssey Sims | 30 | 21 | 25.1 | 37.0 | 23.2 | 72.9 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| Monique Billings | 31 | 9 | 23.8 | 49.5 | 0.0 | 67.5 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 8.1 |
| Candice Dupree | 10 | 4 | 20.3 | 43.4 | 0.0 | 63.6 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 7.3 |
| Aari McDonald | 30 | 4 | 16.4 | 32.2 | 30.8 | 88.2 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 6.3 |
| Elizabeth Williams | 32 | 32 | 23.8 | 51.6 | 0.0 | 50.9 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 5.8 |
| Tianna Hawkins | 28 | 8 | 15.5 | 39.7 | 24.2 | 91.3 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 4.9 |
| Shekinna Stricklen | 24 | 0 | 9.8 | 25.9 | 21.2 | 40.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.5 |
| Blake Dietrick | 9 | 0 | 15.7 | 29.6 | 31.3 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.3 |

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
| Courtney Williams | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 | |
| Aari McDonald | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 5 | |