The Dream bolster frontcourt while adding scoring and veteran experience
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Atlanta Dream have signed forward Tina Charles and guard Aerial Powers, and re-signed forward Nia Coffey, the organization announced today.
2012 WNBA MVP, eight-time All-Star and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Tina Charles will join a young Atlanta Dream core coming off their best season in five years.
“Tina’s ability to score and rebound the basketball at an elite level immediately helps this basketball team,” said Dream General Manager and Executive Vice President Dan Padover. “Tina is a former MVP and Gold Medalist with a ton of ’big game’ experience that I know will aid us throughout the course of the WNBA season.”
Charles has etched her name in the WNBA record books currently sitting fourth in the league all-time in scoring, amassing 7115 points. Additionally, Charles is the second all-time rebounder with 3640, averaging 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in her career.
“Having a player who has been tried and true throughout her career will be impactful as our young core continues to mature,” said Head Coach Tanisha Wright. “There is a mutual respect between Tina and I because of the years we spent as teammates, and her competitiveness and desire to win will be an added boost for our team. In all candor, I look forward to now telling her what to do instead of vice versa.”
Aerial Powers is the second former WNBA Champion to join the Dream this offseason. The 5’11” guard has averaged 10.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game over her career and played an integral role in the Washington Mystics winning the Championship in 2019.
“Aerial is one of the most explosive wings in the WNBA and is capable of scoring in a variety of ways,” said Padover. “Aerial is a WNBA Champion, an ultimate competitor and we are thrilled to have a winner like her on our team.”
The Detroit native played three seasons at Michigan State earning First Team All-Big Ten honors in all three years, the first Spartan in history to achieve this accolade. Powers still holds several Spartan career and season records, sitting third all-time in career points scored with 1817. In the 2016 WNBA Draft Powers was drafted fifth overall by the Dallas Wings In the 2016 WNBA Draft.
“I am extremely thrilled to add someone of AP’s caliber,” said Wright. “She is relentless in her attack and someone who’s competitive nature matches my own. The energy she brings night-in and night-out will be invaluable and our fans are in for a real treat.”
Nia Coffey will continue her journey in her third consecutive year with Atlanta after starting 31 games last season and shooting a career-high 40.2% from three in 2023. Coffey suffered a hand-injury last August which ended her season. Coffey’s defensive presence and experience played a large role in the Dream returning to the WNBA Playoffs for the first time in five years.
“Nia has been a huge part of our growth the last two years and has played an integral part in any and all successes we’ve had,” said Padover. “She is returning stronger than ever and has established herself as an exceptional defender and three-point shooter. Nia’s game continues to evolve every year and her future here excites us even more than the past couple of years.”
ABOUT THE ATLANTA DREAM
The Atlanta Dream is a professional women’s basketball team based in Atlanta, Ga. that strives to build a place where our team, our fans and our city come together to represent the community we seek to serve. We celebrate diversity, represent Atlanta, and empower women both on and off the court. The team currently plays home games at the Gateway Center Arena @ College Park and has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in nine of its first 16 seasons. To learn more about the Dream and purchase 2024 season tickets, please visit https://dream.wnba.com/tickets/ or call 877-977-7729.
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