Ezinne Kalu, star of Nigeria’s D’Tigress, made a striking debut in the WNBA on Thursday, helping the Atlanta Dream secure a crucial 78-67 victory over the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. This win clinched the final playoff spot for the Dream.
At 32, Kalu had an impressive run during the 2024 Paris Olympics and played a key role in the second half, supporting Tina Charles in a historic performance.
Charles broke two WNBA records, becoming the league’s all-time leader in both rebounds and double-doubles.
Just days before her debut, Kalu was signed to a seven-day contract, a strategic move made to fill gaps due to player absences from injuries or illnesses.
With the Dream needing a win to ensure their postseason berth, and the Liberty having already secured the top seed, the stakes were high.
Charles made history early in the game by surpassing Sylvia Fowles’ career rebounding record of 4,006, finishing with a new mark of 4,014 rebounds.
In a pre-game ceremony, she was inducted into the city’s Basketball Hall of Fame alongside nine other legends, with her teammates present to support her.
Charles remains a dominant force in the WNBA, being the only player with over 7,000 points and 4,000 rebounds in her career, ranking second in all-time scoring, behind only Diana Taurasi.
“We came here with our bags packed. We knew we would take care of business,” Charles said in the post-game press conference.
With this victory, the Dream secured the eighth seed and will face the Liberty again in the first round of the playoffs, starting Sunday in New York. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night, also in New York, with a potential third game in Atlanta if necessary.
Under head coach Tanisha Wright, the Dream are making their second consecutive playoff appearance. This marks their first back-to-back postseason qualification since 2013-2014. Since 2010, the Dream have reached the WNBA Finals three times and have made seven appearances in the Conference Finals.
The 2024 WNBA Playoffs commence on September 22, featuring the league’s top eight teams in a best-of-three series format. The winners will advance to a best-of-five semifinal, culminating in the WNBA Finals, also a best-of-five series, where the champion will be determined.
