Atlanta, GA -- The Atlanta Dream tipped off training camp on Sunday morning at the Riverside EpiCenter in Atlanta where the team ran plays, focused on their stamina, and conditioned.
But mostly in attendance were younger members of the team, like Brittney Sykes, who the Dream selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
Sykes was immediately making an impact on the team. She was taking bold shots, driving to the rim, and connecting with her teammates right off the bat.
And while Sykes is excited to be playing on a professional stage, she's most looking forward to playing her former teammates from Syracuse and friends she grew up playing with.
"Finally getting to see the class I was supposed to graduate with, the class of 2016." said Sykes. "It'll be cool to finally see them and play against them at a higher level,"
So far, Michael Cooper, the Dream's head coach, is pleased with the roster he has. But the team will be missing one integral member who led the Dream to so much of its success last season: Angel McCoughtry. McCoughtry will be sitting out indefinitely.
To fill that void, Cooper said it won't be much of a stretch, looking to players like Bria Holmes and Tiffany Hayes. In fact, instead of focusing so much time on offense like in seasons prior, the team will be locking in their defense as the season quickly approaches.
"The biggest difference is our defense will be a little bit better," said Cooper. "Because we won't look to concentrate so much on offense."
The Atlanta Dream continues with training camp over the next few weeks, culminating with the first game of the season on May 13 away at Connecticut.