Dream coach drops important Allisha Gray injury update ahead of WNBA Finals Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dream captured a momentous first WNBA Finals berth without star guard Allisha Gray.
After days of waiting, Atlanta could be set to get her back just in time. Gray was struck down by a hand injury in the Dream's semifinal duel against the Liberty. A recent update from head coach Karl Smesko seems to suggest that she'll be back in action before no time.
Here's what we know about Gray's hand injury, as well as a timeline for her potential recovery.
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Dream coach drops important Allisha Gray injury update
Atlanta hasn't yet outlined Gray's status for Saturday's game. However, Smesko revealed that the four-time All-Star is trending in the right direction, according to ESPN's Kendra Andrews.
Allisha Gray’s status will be decided after warmups but is trending in a positive direction, Smesko says. If she is able to play, he doesn’t envision any restriction on her. Since it’s a hand injury, they’ll see how she feels throughout the game
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 17, 2026
Gray was cut down by a left hand ailment she suffered during Game 1 of the semifinals. She underwent a minor procedure to remedy her issue. Gray missed the final two games of the series due to her injury. She was seen sporting medical tape on the pinky and ring fingers on her left shooting hand during Friday's practice.
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Gray was a full participant in that session, taking part in a number of full-court drills with Atlanta's starters. On Friday, she told reporters that her recovery timeline was "day-to-day", per
—="" Kendra="" Andrews="" (@kendra__andrews)="" October="" 17,="" 2026=""