Karl Smesko took a bold leap from FGCU to the Atlanta Dream. It paid off with a WNBA Finals run

Karl Smesko, a former coach at Florida Gulf Coast, made a bold move from the college basketball circuit to the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA. His tenure at FGCU produced eight 30-win seasons and 10 appearances in the NCAA tournament, but a national championship remained elusive. When the Dream approached Smesko with an offer, he saw it as an opportunity to reach a higher level.

Smesko admitted that making a championship run at FGCU was highly unlikely, but the WNBA provided a more equal playing field. He has led the Dream to back-to-back 30-14 regular season records and to the WNBA Finals, where they face the favored Golden State Valkyries. Smesko's systems at FGCU emphasized three-pointers, layups, and free throws, a strategy that proved effective in the WNBA as well.