Two newly drafted rookies and three veterans on one-year deals join the 2025 Atlanta Dream.
The Atlanta Dream have eleven players on the 2025 roster with six returning players and five new additions. This article spotlights newly-added Brittney Griner, Brionna Jones, Te-Hina Paopao, Taylor Thierry, and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. Statistics are sourced from WNBA.com and Across the Timeline.
Brittney Griner
Listed Position: Center
WNBA Experience: 11 years
Brittney Griner may be the best player to put on an Atlanta Dream uniform. After spending over a decade with the Phoenix Mercury, the ten-time WNBA All-Star elected to join the Atlanta Dream as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Griner participated in the Unrivaled league with Dream players Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, and Rhyne Howard, who she credited with recruiting her to Atlanta. On her Instagram, Griner posted a video making the surprise decision to join the Dream from a boat with her new teammates:
Griner has had a history of injuries throughout her career that were affected by her 10 months of detention in Russia in 2022. In her memoir, Coming Home, Griner details the physical and psychological toll her experience had on her. Moving to a new media market and returning to the South, where she grew up, has led Griner to comment on feeling at home and re-energized in Atlanta.
2025 Impact: Watch to see if Griner’s three-point numbers increase in new head coach Karl Smesko’s coaching system. Griner has averaged 0.1 three-point attempt per game throughout her career, but shot 3-for-3 from long range during preseason and made three attempts through her first two games of the 2025 regular season. Additionally, keep an eye on Griner’s minutes: She has not averaged more than 29 minutes per game since the 2021 season. If she can play 30-plus minutes per game for Atlanta, she will have a significant impact on their rebounding, defense, and points in the paint.
Brionna Jones
Listed Position: Forward
WNBA Experience: 8 years
The 2022 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year and three-time All-Star joins the Atlanta Dream from the Connecticut Sun, where she played in all 40 regular season games in 2024 after being limited to just 13 games in 2023. Jones has consistently improved throughout her WNBA career and has experience playing under assistant coach Brandi Poole. Although listed as a forward, Jones played the five position with Connecticut and is expected to rotate minutes with Brittney Griner at center.
2025 Impact: Jones has already started the campaign with two double-doubles, in points and rebounds. Similar to Griner, Jones has not historically shot from deep, but does have four three-point attempts through the first two games of the regular season. Over her career, she has maintained a field goal percentage over 55% while shooting over 75% from the free throw line and will look to continue that consistency throughout the season.
Te-Hina Paopao
Listed Position: Guard
WNBA Experience: Rookie
Te-Hina Paopao fell to Atlanta with the 18th pick in the second round of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Swish Appeal’s Cat Ariail wrote a convincing piece arguing for Paopao being a “perfect fit” for the Atlanta Dream’s offense under Karl Smesko. Paopao shot 40% from three-point range throughout her college career at Oregon and South Carolina. Although it is rare for rookies drafted outside of the first round to start in their WNBA debut, Paopao earned a starting guard position after an injury to Dream point guard Jordin Canada.
2025 Impact: Paopao took 11 three-point attempts during the preseason, demonstrating a comfort level with Smesko’s offensive system. While she has only taken eight shots through two games thus far, Paopao is shooting 50% from the field. Paopao has grabbed multiple rebounds along with four assists in her efficient first game against the Washington Mystics. It remains to be seen how Atlanta will rotate guard minutes upon Canada’s return, but Paopao making the team over third-year player Haley Jones shows the trust that the coaching staff has in her ability to contribute to the team.
Taylor Thierry
Listed Position: Guard-Forward
WNBA Experience: Rookie
As rare as it is for a second-round draft pick like Paopao to make a WNBA roster, it is even more surprising for a third-round pick to make it to opening day. Taylor Thierry made the roster over fellow rookie and second-round pick Shyanne Sellers — Sellers was signed by Atlanta after being cut by the Golden State Valkyries. While Sellers is viewed as having more offensive potential, Thierry made the 2025 Big Ten All-Defensive Team out of Ohio State and helps address weaknesses on the defensive end for the Dream.
2025 Impact: Thierry played just 17 seconds Tuesday against the Fever. She did play fourteen minutes in both of Atlanta’s preseason games, totaling two blocks, two steals, five rebounds, and eight points while shooting 50% from the floor, however. Unfortunately, her roster spot could be expendable if Atlanta has to address injury trouble throughout the year or opts to add frontcourt depth from outside the organization.
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Listed Position: Guard
WNBA Experience: 8 years
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough joins the Dream as the fourth franchise of her career. She had short stints in Phoenix and Connecticut, but has played with Washington in seven of her eight seasons. In 2023 and 2024, Walker-Kimbrough played in all 80 regular season games for the Mystics. She increased her three point attempts and makes over the last four years, which may have made her appealing to the new Atlanta Dream coaching staff.
2025 Impact: Walker-Kimbrough has averaged 17 minutes in the two regular season games so far, with just a 29% field goal percentage that should regress to the mean with a larger sample size. She started at guard in the Dream’s second preseason game after Jordin Canada’s injury, but has since ceded the starting role to Te-Hina Paopao in both regular season contests. Walker-Kimbrough is on a guaranteed contract and should be a reliable veteran rotation option off the bench for Atlanta throughout the season, willing to shoot from long range in Karl Smesko’s offense.
Which of Atlanta’s new additions are you most excited to watch in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!