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Black Girl Magic keeps the Atlanta Dream Alive

By Yakiri Thomas / May 12, 2021

Autumn Johnson, LaChina Robinson, Tabitha Turner and Angel Gray will be the first all-Black, all-female broadcast group that will call every Atlanta Dream home game this season.

“As the Atlanta Dream experiences new beginnings we are extremely excited to announce our new broadcast team for the 2021 season,” said Renee Montgomery, Dream co-owner and vice president.

LaChina Robinson returns to the Dream for her 12th season after serving as the primary color analyst for the franchise’s first 11 seasons. An award-winning basketball analyst, her work around the sport as both an analyst and reporter spans a wide range of collegiate and WNBA events as she enters her 14th season of basketball coverage.

 

“When Renee called me about coming back to the Dream it was a no-brainer,” Robinson said. “There is a palpable energy around the WNBA and the city of Atlanta that is undeniable. I’m honored to be a part of what the Dream is building under new leadership in this historic 25th season of the league.”

“Excited is an understatement for me,” Turner said. “I truly feel blessed to be back with such an amazing, talented team that led the way in the fight for social justice and equality throughout the pandemic. Between the leadership of everyone involved and the high level of talent on this team, waiting to get started is the hardest part and I’m glad to be along for the ride!”

“It’s really exciting to get the opportunity to go back home and cover such a young, talented and explosive team,” Gray said. “Their speed is their strength and it will be fun to cover not only the speed and athleticism of this team, but how they lead off of the floor and in the Atlanta community as well. These women are true game changers on and off the court.”

“I’m beyond excited to join the Atlanta Dream’s broadcast for opening night,” Johnson said. “Being a Georgia native, the Dream was the first professional team I covered when I started my journalism career, so this is a full-circle moment to have the opportunity to call my first WNBA game for my home team.”

Robinson, Turner, Johnson and Gray are the first all-Black, all-female broadcast group in the Dream’s history.

On Tuesday the Dream announced the hiring of La’Keshia Frett and Daynia La-Force as assistant coaches ahead of the 2021 season.

Frett, a former All-American and four-time All-SEC honoree at the University of Georgia, comes to Atlanta after serving as an assistant coach at Auburn for the 2019-20 season. Previously, she coached six seasons at the University of Virginia, where she worked primarily with the Cavaliers’ post players.

 

“I am just excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Atlanta Dream and work with the coaches and the players,” Frett said. “Being a former WNBA player and having the chance to be back in the league but in a different way feels great. I’m absolutely excited about the opportunity.”

La-Force joins the Dream staff after most recently leading the Rhode Island Rams for five seasons. Also a former head coach at Northwestern and New Haven, La-Force is the co-owner of BentForce Basketball and the co-founder of Mothers Against Racism.

 

“Young girls have dreams of playing in the WNBA, and I had dreams of coaching in the WNBA,” La-Force said. “I am grateful to Coach Petersen and the front office for making my dream come true. I am really looking forward to working with Coach Taylor and the rest of this hard-working staff. The Dream is a first-class organization and the women on the team are proven competitors. I believe my 23 years of coaching expertise will help elevate everyone’s goal of reaching that championship level.”

The Atlanta Dream will tip-off their 14th season in the WNBA on Friday, May 14 against the Connecticut Sun beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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