Dream introduce coach Karl Smesko, who wants team Atlanta will be proud of

Dream coach Karl Smesko received an unexpected inquiry from someone seated in the front row during his introductory news conference: two-time All-Star Rhyne Howard, whose presence — along with the rest of a roster primed to blossom — helped convince Smesko finally to leave Florida Gulf Coast University, where he coached for over two decades.

Howard’s question: “I know we’ve talked, but from the players’ perspective, we’ve been building something and establishing something; how do you intend on bringing your style of play and incorporating it into what we have going on?”

Smesko’s answer: “One, I want to make sure that you guys are involved in the process. I want to have more conversations. I want to make sure we build a relationship. I want you to understand why we’re doing the things we’re doing and how it ultimately impacts winning, which we’re all going to be about. It’s going to be about putting people in the best positions to be successful, and helping the Atlanta Dream win basketball games. I’m really looking forward to that, and I hope you guys are as well.”

The lighthearted exchange drew laughter around the room, but it was the perfect moment that showed why the Dream prioritized Smesko. His track record, from winning to development to relating to his players, is top notch.

Smesko is one of the great winners in college basketball, having gone 611-112 in his collegiate career, including a 479-91 mark at FGCU, where he’d transformed the program from a Division II startup in 2022 into a mid-major power. He’s known as an offensive innovator, and in recent seasons, his teams shot 3-pointers at a nation-leading volume.

That stood out to general manager Dan Padover, the Dream’s leading executive who twice has won the league’s executive-of-the-year honors (2020, 2021) and orchestrated the trade up for Howard. Padover said they wanted an established winner who had proved to be adaptable, forward-thinking and capable of building a culture.

A wide-ranging search led to Smesko, he of 11 ASUN Tournament championships, 14 regular-season conference titles, 14 consecutive seasons of 25 or more victories, and a winning percentage — .832 — that ranked him third among Division I coaches behind Conneticut’s Geno Auriemma and LSU’s Kim Mulkey. Padover also noted that “most importantly to us” 22 of Smesko’s former players have become coaches.

“That’s a testament to Karl’s leadership, the way Karl has built his teams, the culture that Karl has built,” Padover said. “Through the (coaching search) process, it became clear to us that Karl’s track record aligns with what our priorities are.”

Dream forward Nia Coffey: “When you’re a coach for that long, and you have such a good relationship with former players and staff, and there’s little to no turnover, that is a great sign. The fact that people are set up to be leaders and coaches on their own. It just shows that he really is invested in relationships.”

The Dream were 15-25 last season, losing to the eventual champion Liberty in the first round of the playoffs. The team has been viewed as an up-and-comer with its talent nucleus, which — along with being in a prime destination — made it an appealing coaching opening.

Smesko promises to push the pace — that’ll be new for the Dream — and attack from beyond the arc, just as his Florida Gulf Coast teams did. He described it as a “fun and exciting style to watch.” He thinks the current roster fits that approach well.

This was a coup for the Dream, as larger programs had unsuccessfully tried to pry Smesko from South Florida. It was going to take a special circumstance for him to leave. Smesko said he always has had love and admiration for the WNBA. He liked the Dream’s roster, connected well with ownership and Padover, and heard glowing reviews about Atlanta as a home, all of which made the transition worth making.

“Everything just fell into place and aligned at the right time,” said Smesko, whose Eagles were29-5 but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. “I’m just excited to get started and see what we can accomplish.

“There’s no better time to join (the WNBA) than right now. It’s an exciting time for the league. I want to be an advocate for women’s sports and for the city of Atlanta. One of the simplest ways to do that is to develop a team that everybody is proud of, a championship-level team. That’s the ultimate goal. I think that’ll go a long way toward building interest for the future of women’s basketball in the Atlanta area.”