COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — There is so much about this time that feels like a Dream: watching the likes of Angel Reese, Naz Hamilton and Dewonna Bonner boarding charter buses bound for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to play in the WNBA Finals.
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For their fans, sending them off with all the good vibes was an opportunity they were not going to miss.
“We love that they’re making it to the finals. It was meant to be,” said Dream fan Ashley Harris. “Come on. We’re talking about the WNBA here.”
Even for a team of 9-year-olds who came out to the sendoff, their coach wanted them to be here to see what a dream realized looks like.
“Here to just experience this energy that’s going throughout the city and helping our girls win and just the love for basketball,” said coach Shundii Clay.
For the crowd outside Gateway Center Arena, many who were college park employees, this is personal. College Park’s Gateway Center Arena has been home base for the team for years now. And as they move to State Farm Arena, they wanted the team to know The Dream’s success, is their success.
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“I know that they’ve reached the point to where they’ve outgrown our arena. I wish they could stay, but I’m just happy to see them doing what they’re doing and being able to put the city of College Park on the map as well as their lives,” said College Park firefighter Carlton Lane.
She was among the dozens at Gateway Center Arena in College Park as the Atlanta Dream with WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese boarded charter buses, headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport bound for San Francisco, where they’ll take on the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA finals.
Game 3 and 4 will be played at State Farm Arena, and so will next season.
And the city of College Park- home of Gateway Center Arena- wanted the ladies to feel the love.
“We knew when this was going to be their last chance here. This was an opportunity to celebrate them and give them the sendoff,” said Carolyn Howell with the College Park Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We want them to know they are our wildest dream. This is a little bit of College Park’s love letter to the Atlanta Dream. We could not be more proud of them, we want them to continue to soar and continue to win,” said Amber Batchelor with the College Park Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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