Dream hire former Wings coach Vickie Johnson as assistant

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Dream named former Dallas coach Vickie Johnson as an assistant coach Thursday, completing coach Tanisha Wright’s staff.

Johnson was 32-36 in two seasons with Dallas with a 1-3 playoff record. The Wings did not pick up the option on Johnson’s contract following last season. Johnson also had coached the San Antonio Stars and was a two-time WNBA All-Star with the New York Liberty.

In 2020, Johnson and Wright worked together as assistants for the Las Vegas Aces.

“To say I am happy to have VJ join our staff would be an understatement,” Wright said. “I know firsthand that she fits exactly who we are as an organization, and I have a ton of respect for her and how she approaches the game of basketball.”

Johnson’s 25-year professional career as a player and coach began in 1997, when she was the No. 12 overall draft pick by the Liberty. She earned All-Star honors in 1999 and 2001 and became the first Liberty player to score 2,000 career points. She played her final four seasons with the San Antonio Silver Stars.

As a coach, Johnson led the Wings to the playoffs in 2021 and 2022.

Johnson also has been an assistant coach and a court coach for the USA Women’s National Team under Dawn Staley in 2019 and Cheryl Reeve in 2022.

Johnson said she believes that she, Wright and Dream general manager Dan Padover “share a lot of the same values when it comes to building a team, and I am confident in this staff’s vision and mission to foster an environment where players can reach their full potential.”

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