Karl Smesko leaves no doubt about his ambitions with Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream hired former Florida Gulf Coast University coach Karl Smesko as their new head coach on Wednesday. After a season where the team finished in eighth place in the WNBA's regular season before a first-round exit from the playoffs, the franchise is eager to improve in 2025.

Enter Karl Smesko, an accomplished NCAA coach who posted a 611-112 record over 23 years as the team's coach. While Florida Gulf Coast University may not be the most well-known school, over the past 14 seasons, only Smesko's Florida Gulf Coast University team and UConn have won 25+ games each season.

Now, as he prepares for his first season with the Atlanta Dream, Smesko has his sights on finding success at the professional level. After considering a jump to the WNBA for several years now, Smesko feels as though now is the time for him to make the transition.

The Dream announced that he would be taking over as head coach for Tanisha Wright, who was with the franchise from 2021-2024 and posted a record of 48-68 during her time with the team. Karl Smesko spoke about the situation as relayed by ESPN and the Associated Press:

"I'm not scared from a challenge. Things are in place for great things to happen in Atlanta and if we make great decisions along the way and continue to improve, anything is possible. I wouldn't be going to Atlanta if I didn't think a WNBA championship wasn't a realistic possibility."

"The right place and the right time" - Karl Smesko opens up on his decision to finally join the WNBA after years of considering a transition

Throughout his career as the coach of Florida Gulf Coast University, Smesko posted the third-highest winning percentage of any women's basketball coach, leading the team to 11 ASUN Tournaments.

In addition, he was a 13-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year, as well as a Kay Yow Award winner, which honors NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches.

Given that he was able to coach Florida Gulf Coast university to the D1 NCAA tournament seven times over his career, the Dream are confident he can elevate their franchise.

Smesko spoke about how he's been considering a move to the WNBA level for some time now:

"The W has intrigued me as a possibility for a long time. When this opportunity came up, it really seemed like the right place and the right time. I had great conversations with the general manager and with their ownership and this is the right move for me right now."

Given that the Atlanta Dream haven't made it out of the first round of the playoffs since the 2016 season, it will be interesting to see if Karl Smesko can help the team make a deep postseason run.