For the second time in two-plus months, the Dream have made a coaching change.
Mike Petersen, who assumed interim head coaching duties after Nicki Collen’s departure for Baylor, resigned Saturday because of health reasons and will not return after the Olympic break, the team announced Saturday night. The Dream entered the season’s hiatus with a 6-13 record with eight losses in the past 10 games.
Darius Taylor, who has been an assistant coach with the organization since 2017, immediately assumed Petersen’s duties. Taylor took over the responsibility of the top assistant coach after Collen’s departure and seemed to be a candidate for Petersen’s role when the original interim change occurred.
Petersen will transition to an advisory role within the Dream’s front office.
“For health reasons that the grind of the WNBA season will not allow me to adequately address, I have decided to step down from my coaching duties with the Dream,” said Petersen, who did not further specify his departure, in a statement. “I want to thank the Atlanta Dream players, staff and ownership for the opportunity to be part of an amazing organization.”
Petersen’s departure from the program is the next domino to fall in a tumultuous season for the Dream, which has been full of numerous off-the-court happenings. Most recently, Dream guard and second-year star Chennedy Carter faced an indefinite suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” during the team’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces on July 4.
The numerous changes have come rapidly since Collen’s departure. Aside from Petersen’s departure, the Dream have had a difficult time keeping their unit together. Carter’s incident followed an MCL injury for veteran Tiffany Hayes. Cheyenne Parker, who missed the season’s first few games with a COVID-19 diagnosis, announced her pregnancy and will not return after the Olympic break.
From an ownership perspective, a group led by majority owner Larry Gottesdeiner, in which former Dream guard Renee Montgomery plays a vocal role, it hasn’t been the smoothest transition as the Dream continued their rebuild. The Dream have yet to find a new general manager after the firing of Chris Sienko, and now the coaching situation remains in limbo.
“It has been a pleasure working with and getting to know Mike,” Gottesdiener said. “We appreciate his willingness to step up and take on the role of head coach this season and everything he has done for the team. His experience and leadership will continue to be a benefit to the organization as he transitions to his new role.”
Petersen spoke highly of Taylor once the first coaching swap occurred. The duo had their responsibilities handled well before the addition of two additional coaches, La’Keisha Frett and Daynia LaForce. Petersen handled the offensive duties, while Taylor manned the defensive schemes and took over leadership duties in some situations. In early May, before the season started, Petersen said the transitions had been “as smooth as it could be.”
Petersen made it clear from the moment he took over as interim coach, that this responsibility “wasn’t about me.”
“I don’t need to be a head coach again; I’m very happy being an assistant,” Petersen said. “... I’m Forrest Gump, man. I just kind of wander through life and awesome stuff happens all around me.”
Taylor now takes over as head coach after nearly four seasons as a Dream assistant. He will be a head coach for the first time, either at the college or professional level. He ended up with the Dream after spending time as an assistant coach under Dawn Staley at South Carolina. His wife, Georgia women’s coach Joni Taylor, couldn’t add her husband onto her UGA staff because of the state’s nepotism laws.
Taylor found his niche in Atlanta and has worked his way up the organization’s ranks. The Taylor household now has two head coaches and already has plenty of knowledge to assist one another in their roles.
For the Dream, it’s another trip through the revolving door. The team couldn’t even get through a break without a new development to handle.
Much like the last time, the Dream will face another test.
“We’ll see how we respond,” rookie guard Aari McDonald said after Collen’s departure. Her words hold true yet again.
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