The Atlanta Dream went into the 2014 WNBA Draft looking to some perimeter shooting and did exactly that when they selected Louisville guard Shoni Schimmel with the eighth pick in the first round.
Schimmel is more than just a shooter but did the majority of her damage from the perimeter while at Louisville. She led the Cardinals in scoring at 16.9 points while shooting 38 percent from long range. She was also second on the team in assists at 3.7 per game.
"We are very excited about Shoni Schimmel coming to Atlanta," said Dream head coach Michael Cooper. "She can play in an up-tempo offense like we play, and is a player that can push the tempo and play multiple positions.
"She's going to fit in extremely well with our roster. When you want to run, you have to have someone that's a willing passer and likes to pass, and those are some of her best assets. She also has the ability to take and knock down that big 3-point shot. Her 3-point shooting ability will stretch the defense, and it will be a joy to coach a young lady of her caliber."
Atlanta made just 24 percent of its three-point attempts last season and shooting from distance has not been a strength of the team in recent seasons.
Atlanta also selected guard Inga Orekhova out South Florida in the second round. She is another good shooter who made 163 threes over her last two seasons in college. Atlanta looked to bolster its frontcourt with the 20th pick selecting 6-2 forward Cassie Harberts out of USC.
The Dream will open training camp later this month and will play an exhibition game on Sunday, May 11 against the New York Liberty.