Allisha Gray praises Smesko as Dream earn three All-Star nods
Allisha Gray and teammate Rhyne Howard gave Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko strong marks in his second WNBA season, calling him more comfortable and connected as the franchise sent three players to All-Star weekend—even while the team remains furious those nods came as reserves, not starters.
Key Takeaways
- Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard praised Karl Smesko’s growth in year two, citing comfort, humor, and stronger relationships.
- Gray, Howard, and Angel Reese made the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game as reserves after missing the starter cut.
- Gray is averaging 18.5 points and earning her fourth straight All-Star nod after May’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month award.
- Atlanta is tied with the Fever and Lynx for the most All-Stars and remains in the Eastern Conference title mix.
Speaking with High Post Hoops during All-Star media availability at the Obama Presidential Center, Gray kept the review simple: “Oh, he’s doing great.” She said Smesko jokes more and has “filled us out good.”
Howard echoed that upgrade. She called him “way more comfortable than he was the first year,” pointing to relationships built over that first season. “Obviously, he’s starting to realize it’s more to life than basketball, so we’re trying to keep him light-hearted,” she added.
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Why are the Dream still furious about three All-Stars?
Three Atlanta players reaching All-Star weekend sounds like a celebration. Inside College Park, it has not felt that way.
Gray, Reese, and Howard were left off the starter ballots—fan votes count for half the weighted score, with media and players splitting the rest—then added as reserves. Smesko called the starter snub disappointing and argued his players had done enough on the court. Reese labeled the omission “disrespectful” and a slap in the face for a title-contending roster.
Smesko had called all three making the reserves a “no-brainer” and even floated Jordin Canada for a fourth nod. Canada did not make it. The larger message from Atlanta: this core still feels underrated.
How does Allisha Gray’s case stack up?
Gray has largely let production answer the debate. She is averaging 18.5 points and has scored in double figures in all but one of Atlanta’s 21 games. May’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month award capped a stretch that made her fourth consecutive All-Star selection feel routine rather than surprising.
Howard leads the league in steals per game, with Canada second. Reese entered the break leading the WNBA in rebounding and double-doubles. Classification may have hurt Howard in starter voting—she is listed as a guard despite forward-like usage.
Against that backdrop, Atlanta’s three All-Stars tie Indiana and Minnesota for the league lead. The two-time defending champion Aces landed two.
What comes next after All-Star weekend?
Gray and Howard were drafted onto Team Spoon, coached by Cheryl Reeve for the All-Star Game in Chicago. Reese returned to the United Center on Team Coop after joining the Dream.
When regular play resumes, Atlanta travels to Dallas on July 29 and hosts the Seattle Storm on July 31. Smesko, who arrived from Florida Gulf University, has steadied a franchise still chasing Eastern Conference supremacy—with Gray and company grading his second year as a clear step forward, even if All-Star billing still stung.