Atlanta Dream Fires Michael Cooper: ICYMI

ATLANTA, GA -- One day after the Atlanta Dream capped a 12-22 season, punctuated by their 11th straight road loss, the team parted ways with head coach Michael Cooper, the organization announced Monday. Cooper helmed Atlanta's WNBA franchise for the past four years.

“We are grateful that Michael Cooper has been part of our franchise over the last four years,” Dream owners Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler said in a news release. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Cooper, well respected in pro basketball for his championship success with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, led the Dream to a 63-73 mark during his tenure, including a playoff appearance in 2014 and 2016.

“Michael shared a wealth of experience from his championships in the NBA and coaching two WNBA championship teams," the owners said. "We hope our fans will join us in thanking him for his dedication to the Atlanta Dream.”

In 2014, the Dream entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, a franchise best. Cooper praised the maturation of his players this year and said that he sees a very promising future for the squad.

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“I am very proud of the young and cohesive team we’ve built and I want to thank the Atlanta fans, the Dream organization, and, most of all, our players for their dedication and hard work,” he said. “We’ve grown as a team and I’m confident these talented and exciting players will continue to realize their potential both as a team and individually.”

The Atlanta Dream will return some key players for 2018, including All-Stars Tiffany Hayes, Layshia Clarendon and Elizabeth Williams, and Rookie of the Year candidate Brittney Sykes.

Image via Craig Johnson / Patch