Ariel Atkins explodes for a season-high 29 points in Sky loss to the Dream

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Ariel Atkins went alpha mode.

That’s what the Sky have been waiting for from the 28-year-old Olympian, and on Sunday afternoon, she delivered. Atkins poured in 29 points against the Dream—one of the top teams in the league—though it wasn’t quite enough to lift the Sky to a win.

“I know this team goes as I go, as far as me being aggressive,” Atkins said postgame. “I know I need to lock in and be better for my teammates in that area.”

She looked locked in from the start. Atkins got to her midrange spots at will, taking advantage of sagging defenders or creating space with her in-and-out dribble. She also got into the paint consistently, earning eight trips to the free-throw line.

Head coach Tyler Marsh credited the scoring outburst to giving Atkins more freedom off the ball. He started Rachel Banham at point guard, continuing to tinker with rotations in the absence of a true floor general.

“She’s been such a great team player in terms of being willing to do whatever is asked of her,” Marsh said of Atkins. “And tonight, it was scoring—pushing her off the ball let her settle in a little more, not feeling like she had to set up the offense for everyone else.”

When asked how it felt to play off the ball more, Atkins smiled sheepishly: “It was nice.”

Atkins has been solid to start the season, but quiet relative to the expectations that came with the Sky trading the No. 3 overall pick for her. Marsh has talked about the difficulty of her transition—coming from seven seasons in Washington to a new system.

“I think you get to a level of comfort where you’re at,” Marsh said earlier this week. “There’s an emotional toll it takes on you, just as much as a physical one, learning a new system and a new style.”

With the Sky, she has to be a new version of herself, in a way. But it’s one she wants to embrace.

“They’re not asking me to do nothing that I can’t do,” she said. “I have to push myself. I can’t be passive. That doesn’t always mean take any shot possible. That does mean looking for my shot and being able to open up stuff for my teammates.”

Historically, Atkins has thrived as a co-star, earning three All-Star nods and five All-Defensive honors in Washington while often deferring to Elena Delle Donne and other top scorers. She’s averaged more than 13 field goal attempts per game only once in her career.

Friday night marked her first game this season with more than 15 shot attempts. She’s averaging 11 attempts per game for the Sky, but that number will likely need to rise.

Overall, Marsh was encouraged by what he saw.

“Tonight was probably the most complete game we’ve played all year,” he said. “Including the two wins against Dallas and one against Connecticut.”

The Sky led in the fourth quarter and looked poised to pull off the upset—until their Achilles’ heel resurfaced. The Dream caught fire from deep, shooting 6-of-10 from three in the final frame and 16-of-33 for the game.

“Honestly, it’s been clear that we have to increase the effort with which we play,” center Elizabeth Williams said.

Williams backed that up with her best performance of the season, scoring 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting off the bench.

But it was Atkins who set the tone. Through three and a half quarters, the Sky responded to every Atlanta run—and it started with her aggression.

If Sunday was a glimpse of the version she’s becoming, it’s one the Sky need to see more of.