Former WNBA MVP Tina Charles is back in the league. In one of the biggest surprises of the offseason, the Atlanta Dream announced Thursday they have agreed to a deal with Charles, who sat out last season and last played with the Seattle Storm in 2022.
After Charles went unsigned last year, most assumed that the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer was done at the highest level. She obviously disagreed, and so did the Dream.
"Tina's ability to score and rebound the basketball at an elite level immediately helps this basketball team," Dream general manager and executive vce president Dan Padover stated in a press release. "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."
Though the Dream finished under .500 last season, their rebuild took a big step forward with their first trip to the playoffs since 2018. Their moves so far this winter have made it clear that simply getting to the postseason is no longer good enough. Already they've traded for Jordin Canada to solidify their point guard spot, signed Aerial Powers to boost their wing depth and re-signed versatile forward Nia Coffey.
Now, they've added Charles for some much needed starpower and veteran experience. She is, of course, well past her prime, and her last stint in the league was drama-filled. In the middle of the 2022 season, she made an abrupt departure from the Phoenix Mercury after skipping multiple games, then signed with the Seattle Storm.
Depending on her role and buy-in, she could be a potent offensive threat off the bench for a team that often struggled to score last season and finished ninth in offensive rating. To that point, her connection to Dream coach Tanisha Wright is a positive sign that her and the organization are on the same page.
"Having a player who has been tried and true throughout her career will be impactful as our young core continues to mature," Wright stated. "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."
