Atlanta Dream First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Rhyne Howard scored the Dream’s first basket more than anyone in 2026: 12 times in 48 starts, or 25% of the games they started. Allisha Gray was next with 11. The Dream made the game’s first field goal in 45% of their 49 games and won 57% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Dream in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any ATL player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for ATL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyne Howard | 48 | 12 | 25% | 7 | 15% |
| Allisha Gray | 46 | 11 | 24% | 5 | 11% |
| Angel Reese | 47 | 11 | 23% | 2 | 4% |
| Jordin Canada | 47 | 10 | 21% | 6 | 13% |
| Naz Hillmon | 45 | 3 | 7% | 2 | 4% |
| Sika Kone | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | – |
How often the Dream scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 49 | 22 | 45% |
| Home | 25 | 11 | 44% |
| Away | 24 | 11 | 46% |
| Regular season | 44 | 20 | 45% |
| Playoffs | 5 | 2 | 40% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Reese | 45 | 26 | 58% |
| Madina Okot | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Team | 46 | 26 | 57% |
How the Dream’s first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 25 | 51% |
| 3-pointer | 15 | 31% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 9 | 18% |
2025
| Player | Starts | First basket for ATL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brionna Jones | 0 | 15 | – | 7 | – |
| Allisha Gray | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – |
| Rhyne Howard | 0 | 7 | – | 5 | – |
| Jordin Canada | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – |
| Brittney Griner | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – |
| Naz Hillmon | 0 | 3 | – | 1 | – |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 0 | 2 | – | 0 | – |
| Maya Caldwell | 0 | 1 | – | 1 | – |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Dream?
Rhyne Howard, with 12 of the Dream’s first baskets in 2026 (25% of their 48 starts), ahead of Allisha Gray with 11.
How often do the Dream score first?
The Dream made the first field goal in 22 of 49 games in 2026 (45%): 44% at home and 46% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Dream?
Angel Reese took 45 of the Dream’s 46 opening tips in 2026 and won 58% of them.
Is Rhyne Howard a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 25% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.