How Naz Hillmon Steady Atlanta After Rough Start to Season (7-10)

The Dream’s season has been littered with inconsistencies, particularly due to their struggles on offense. According to Across The Timeline, Atlanta is the first team since the 2018 New York Liberty to score 55 points or fewer in multiple games in a season. Hillmon’s role is crucial in stabilizing the Dream during these difficult times. There’s never a question of whether she’ll make the right pass, take the right shot, or provide consistent effort — her energy never flags.

“(Naz is) our glue,” winger Rhyne Howard told the media after Atlanta’s win over the Dallas Wings on May 21. “I know a lot of what she does doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but we ask her that every day.”

While Hillmon isn’t known for stretching the defense with her 3-point shooting, she effectively uses cuts, relocations, screens and quick passes to create interior spacing and keep the offense flowing when she’s on the court.

“My coaches put a lot of pressure on me to do that,” Hillmon told The Next. “I have good players around me, so it would be super selfish not to give them the ball, so every chance I get, I want to get them.”

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In 11 games in June, the Dream had a net rating of -3.7 with Hillmon on the court — the best mark among Atlanta’s qualified players — and a net rating of -14.3 with Hillmon on the bench, according to WNBA.com.

Hillmon’s impact on the team’s performance is evident, and his approach to leadership plays a big part in that. “Nobody wants to listen to someone who isn’t doing exactly what they’re supposed to do, so I try to do that first,” Hillmon said. “For the most part, I know exactly what the coaches expect of me, but also what my teammates expect of me.”

Her leadership skills haven’t gone unnoticed by her teammates either. “I would definitely say Naz (Hillmon),” forward Nia Coffey told For The Win’s Meghan Hall when asked who has the biggest presence in the Dream’s locker room. “She really embraces her leadership role.”

Last offseason, Hillmon played overseas for the first time in her professional career, joining Australia’s Melbourne Boomers. The 24-year-old forward averaged 15.2 points and 9.1 rebounds on 56.5 percent shooting, earning her a second-team All-WNBL selection.

“I think it really helped my game,” Hillmon said. “My first (offseason), I was working out and staying in shape, but being able to practice and test my skills every other day really helped me.”

“It’s a great competition in Australia, there’s a handful of WNBA players, so it wasn’t a big drop-off from the W… (so) it definitely helped my confidence.”

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Hillmon’s progress in her third year is evident in her development as a finisher. After shooting just 55.1 percent from the field in 2023, she’s upped to 66.7 percent in 2024, a percentage that’s tied for sixth in the league, according to Synergy Sports.

“Coming into the season, I knew where I was going to be, especially on offense,” Hillmon said. “Plus, by year three, you should know pretty much everybody in the league. I know how they’re going to defend me, I know who I have to get past quickly, who I have to put my body against (before looking to score).”

Additionally, according to Her Hoop Stats, Hillmon has shot 60 percent from 2-point range in 10 games this season, which is second only to New York’s Jonquel Jones (15 games). In contrast, fellow Dream Bigs Tina Charles and Parker-Tyus have accomplished that feat in a combined seven games.

With seven games remaining before the Olympic break, Hillmon must continue to play a crucial role as a backup to help the Dream get their season back on track.

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