The Los Angeles Sparks hired Lynne Roberts, a former college coach of 27 years. The Dream snagged FGCU’s Karl Smesko
Two WNBA teams have recently appointed new head coaches, and the selections share several similarities. The Los Angeles Sparks have hired Lynne Roberts, a highly experienced college coach with a 27-year career, while the Atlanta Dream have brought in Karl Smesko, who spent over two decades leading Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Both coaches are recognized for their achievements in college basketball, and they share a common approach when it comes to their offensive strategies, particularly their reliance on the three-point shot.
Roberts, who most recently coached at the University of Utah for nine seasons, has a proven track record of success, including three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Prior to Utah, she also served as the head coach at Chico State and Pacific. Meanwhile, Smesko has been at the helm of FGCU since its inception in 2002, where he built the program into one of the top mid-major teams in the country. Both coaches are leaving their collegiate posts early in the season, marking a rare move in the basketball world.
Smesko and Roberts share a distinctive coaching philosophy centered around the three-point shot. Both have utilized high-volume, perimeter-based offenses that emphasize spacing, quick ball movement, and long-range shooting. This offensive style has led to notable success at the college level, with both coaches building strong, consistent teams. Smesko’s FGCU squads, in particular, have regularly ranked among the top in the nation for three-point attempts and shooting efficiency, while Roberts’ Utah teams have ranked highly in similar categories.
Roberts was hired to replace Curt Miller, who was let go by the Sparks after leading the team through two challenging rebuilding seasons. Smesko takes over for Tanisha Wright, who was also dismissed after guiding the Dream to the eighth seed in the previous season. Both Smesko and Roberts inherit teams with plenty of talent but with room for growth, and their challenge will be to turn these organizations into consistent playoff contenders.
Smesko was introduced as the new head coach of the Atlanta Dream in a press conference on Tuesday, where Dream general manager Dan Padover expressed his excitement about the hire. “We wanted a proven winner,” Padover said. “We wanted someone with an innovative basketball mind, and we wanted a team and culture builder.” Smesko’s success at FGCU, where he has built one of the most successful mid-major programs in the country, speaks to his ability to meet these expectations. With a .845 winning percentage, Smesko ranks third among active NCAA Division I women’s basketball coaches, behind only Geno Auriemma and Kim Mulkey. His reputation for X’s and O’s expertise was further cemented by being named the best tactical coach in an anonymous coaches’ poll by The Athletic for two consecutive years.
In addition to his tactical prowess, Smesko has made a name for himself by emphasizing the three-point shot as a central part of his team’s offense. FGCU has consistently ranked among the top teams in the nation for three-point attempts, often leading Division I in the percentage of shots taken from beyond the arc. This approach has helped him create one of the most exciting and fast-paced offenses in college basketball. In his opening remarks as the Dream’s head coach, Smesko expressed his commitment to continuing this style of play in the WNBA. “I want this to be a fun, exciting style to watch,” he said. “I believe in pushing the ball, getting up and down the court, and obviously utilizing the three-point shot, creating a lot of space, attacking the rim, and playing together and sharing the ball.”
The Dream’s roster, which includes players like Tina Charles, Allisha Gray, and Rhyne Howard, is well-equipped to thrive in this up-tempo, three-point-heavy system. Smesko is particularly excited about Gray, who, despite a subpar shooting performance last season, was a 40% three-point shooter as recently as 2022. Smesko sees her as a key piece in implementing his offensive philosophy. “I think we have a roster makeup right now where this system is going to fit the skills of a lot of our players,” he said. “I think they’re really going to enjoy it.”
For Smesko, the ultimate goal is to build a championship-caliber team in Atlanta. “I want to be an advocate for women’s sports and for the city of Atlanta,” he said. “One of the simple ways to do that is to develop a team that everybody is proud of — a championship-level team, that’s the ultimate goal.”
Meanwhile, the Sparks are hopeful that Roberts can turn around their fortunes. Though Roberts has yet to be formally introduced, the team’s leadership is confident in her abilities. “Lynne is an outstanding coach and leader,” said Eric Holoman, the Sparks’ governor and managing partner. “We are thrilled to bring her decades of winning coaching experience to our organization.” The Sparks’ leadership emphasized Roberts’ modern approach to basketball, her strong communication skills, and her ability to build relationships, all of which made her the right choice to lead the team.
Like Smesko, Roberts is known for her emphasis on the three-point shot and her focus on efficiency. Over the past three seasons, Roberts’ teams at Utah have ranked first in the nation for the percentage of field goal attempts coming from beyond the arc or at the rim, and second in overall offensive rating. Additionally, her squads have ranked among the top five in Division I for total three-pointers made. Last season, Roberts’ Utah team attempted just 5% of their shots from the less efficient mid-range area, far below the 17% that is typical for most WNBA teams. Her emphasis on offensive efficiency and player development should be a strong asset for the Sparks as they look to rebuild after finishing with the worst record in the league last season.
Roberts’ hire is seen as an opportunity to develop the Sparks’ talented roster, which includes players like 2023 No. 2 pick Cameron Brink, who missed much of her rookie season due to an ACL injury. With the Sparks also set to pick No. 2 again in the upcoming draft, they are primed to add another top prospect to the roster. Regardless of who they select, Roberts’ reputation for player development and her focus on efficiency should serve the team well as they look to get back to championship contention.
Although neither Smesko nor Roberts has experience coaching at the professional level, both are eager to embrace the challenge. Smesko has expressed a desire to bring in assistant coaches with WNBA experience to help him navigate the transition, while Roberts’ experience in college basketball should allow her to quickly adapt to the professional ranks.
The decision by both Smesko and Roberts to leave successful college programs for the WNBA reflects the increasing appeal of coaching in the professional league. With eight head coaching vacancies this offseason, the floodgates for WNBA hiring have opened, and coaches who might have once been hesitant to make the leap are now seizing the opportunity. As Curt Miller, now the general manager of the Dallas Wings, noted, the level of interest in coaching positions has reached unprecedented heights. “I can’t begin to tell you the interest coming from not only the WNBA, but outside of the WNBA, like you’ve never seen before,” Miller said. This growing interest marks an exciting time for the league and signals that the future of women’s professional basketball is bright.
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