WNBA: Naz Hillmon talks new-look Dream, growing her game and more

For Naz Hillmon, there never seems to be the wrong time to play basketball.

The Atlanta Dream’s fourth-year forward plays the game virtually year around without skipping a beat. When she’s not in Atlanta, she’s down under in Australia playing for the Southside Flyers of the WNBL. She also signed on with Unrivaled in March as a relief player for Rose BC, winners of the inaugural Unrivaled title.

Prior to all this, Hillmon honed her skills through the rigors of Big Ten basketball as a Michigan Wolverine. At Michigan, she became a basketball savant. She is the program’s all-time leader in double-doubles (52), rebounds (1,063) and free throws made (487). Hillmon also is the only Wolverine to have scored 2,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds. She also scored a school-record 50 points against Ohio State in January 2021.

That ability to score and board immediately attracted her to the Dream, as they ended up drafting her No. 15 overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft. In her three seasons, she is averaging 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. In 2024, Hillmon earned a starting role, averaging a career-high 21.7 minutes per game while averaging 5.7 points and 3.2 rebounds.

Going into this year, Hillmon is expected to take on a vital role coming off the bench, especially with the additions of Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones to the Atlanta roster. While her minutes may be compromised, Hillmon nevertheless can contribute when given the opportunity.

Her love for the game stems from growing up in a family where the game was picked up with regularity, especially by her mother NaSheema Hillmon. She played at Vanderbilt University and was a member of the Nashville Noise of the defunct American Basketball League (ABL). Hillmon is very close with her mother and has learned a great deal about the game through her. She’s also the niece of former NBA player Jawad Williams, currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings.

As she prepares for the upcoming season, Hillmon took time to speak to Swish Appeal about the upcoming WNBA season, her approach to balancing a never-ending basketball schedule, her relationship with her mother and more.

On the precipice of the 2025 WNBA season, how are you feeling?

Yeah, I’m really excited for this season. Obviously, we have a lot of new pieces on our team, whether it be staff or players. And it’s just been really nice to get to know everybody’s kind of style, personalities, and just like knowing that it’s a big year ahead of us. So I’m excited about it.

When thinking about the season ahead, what are you most looking forward to?

I think just winning. I think that we can get a lot of wins under our belt this year, and you know, do that consistently, string together a bunch of them, hopefully. That’s obviously the plan at the beginning of every season, but consistently get wins, I think, is what I’m most excited about.

What are your goals as an individual player for this season?

Yeah, I think one of my biggest things is continuing to grow. Whether that’s expanding my game or as a leader. I’m sure you guys will see very soon what our style is like, and I think that that will absolutely help me to grow my game individually and help me so much in the long run, but also being able to learn from some of our vets in terms of a leadership role is something that’s really important to me. We’ve had great vets in the past. We have some great vets right now, and just being able to learn from each and every one of them every year has been so huge for me and what I want to do in terms of being a leader on this team.

Speaking of vets, the biggest addition to the Dream this year is Brittney Griner. What’s it like being able to play with her, getting to know her in the preseason? Has she been able to provide you with guidance and mentorship?

Yeah, BG’s awesome. She’s so nice and always just so full of energy, and just super positive. So it’s been so nice to have her on the team. Obviously on the court, it’s nice having her. I feel like I can just throw the ball up anywhere and she’ll go catch it, which I’ll try not to do to her—I’ll actually give her good passes. But she’s so dominant, and just being able to learn from her, just watching her. She’s always in her preparation. I’m always kind of, you know, checking to see what she’s doing. She’s always getting treatment, making sure that she’s prepared before practice. She’s always ready when coach asks her questions, and just like she just brings a presence of knowing she’s one of the best, if not the best, player on the floor every single day. So that’s just really nice to be able to look at every day. It’s so nice to hear her like little bits and pieces, whenever it’s needed….kind of bringing the team together to say these are the little points that we need…to be better today than we were yesterday. And I think sometimes that’s a little bit underrated. People, when they say “leaders” sometimes are just looking at the “rah, rah,” or the long speeches. But BG, I feel like is short-winded, but she gets her points across, and I think it’s so impactful anytime she speaks.

You bring with you a depth of international experience. Having played in the WNBL in Australia, how has that experience helped enhance your skills and how can that development translate to the WNBA?

Yeah, a big thing. When I was over there, I was really playing…the 4. Last time I was out there, I was more so a 5. I did that a little bit this year, but shooting has been the big thing that’s helped me overseas. But also defensively, having to guard 4s. So being able to help [develop] that versatility on the defensive end.

I understand that you are now with Unrivaled. What does that mean for you to be able to play a part in a new league that is flourishing with a whole bunch of investments and attention behind it?

Yeah, it was great being a part of it last year, even though I snuck in there for, I don’t know, three weeks maybe. It was great being there with some of my teammates and best friends, and being able to see them. And you know, all being in one area after I’d been away for what it felt like so long in Australia. But it’s also nice to see the growth of the game when it comes to Unrivaled. First, I was kind of, not as a spectator, but when I wasn’t playing in the games, I was in the stands, and just how excited everyone was to be there, and to kind of get a close look at some of their favorites that they may not have been able to see during the W season because it was in Miami. So it was just great to see the growth of it and the carryover from the W go into Unrivaled. I was able to watch a lot of Unrivaled when I was overseas, so being able to see up close and personal just how much growth some of the players had in that term and just how competitive it was. But, it was great to be a part of. And then obviously, being on a championship team with only playing two games. So it was awesome.

Between the W, Unrivaled and playing in Australia, how are you able to balance all of that out? Because that’s quite a schedule, and that’s a lot of basketball.

It is a lot of basketball, but I mean, I just love the game. I think that’s what helps me so much…I feel like I haven’t gotten to a point where I’m tired of it, or I don’t want to see it, or I don’t want to play in it. So I think that’s honestly what drives me. I just enjoy it so much for myself, but also my family loves basketball. So any chance they get to watch me play, and they’re just super supportive. So I think for myself, just loving the game, but also thinking about those around me who love the game. But also just making sure that I am taking those moments to get a little bit of rest, which I was able to after the W season going into Australia and then after the Unrivaled season going back into the W season.

Speaking of your family, you obviously have a very close relationship with your mother. How has your mother been a catalyst for you in terms of not just basketball, but also life?

Yeah, my mom is my best friend, my biggest supporter. And she does do all of the little things that I need for her, that I need from her, and I think, you know, when I was younger it was more so basketball tips. And obviously, now that I’m an “adult”—I put it in air quotes because, you know, I’m an “adult”—but just helping me to navigate. She’s always the ear when I need listening to, and she always gives any feedback that I’m asking from her, and she’s always at most games. You’ll see her; you’ll spot her somewhere around. So I think just like being someone who I’m always comfortable talking to her about just about anything, whether it’s basketball or it’s life. It’s nice that she’s been through basically anything I’ve gone through for the most part, so she can give some really great advice.

Have you ever played her in a game of one-on-one?

I’ve never played her in a one-on-one.

Well between you and me, if you were to play one-on-one against your mom, who do you think would win?

I would win easily.

Alright, if you want to do it, let’s set it up. You know, maybe on Mother’s Day?

I’m crying. On Mother’s Day? That would be so rude!

That’s true, that’s true. Speaking of Mother’s Day…I know you’re in the thick of preparing for the season and all, but is there anything that you plan on doing for your mom?

Yeah, so I have two brothers and we usually try to do something for her which is so tough because everything she likes is pretty set in terms of most things in life. But we’ll probably end up trying to get her to get a massage, whether or not she actually goes to it to take a moment for herself—we’ll see. But for my mom, if we could…maybe take her to dinner, send my dad a couple dollars so they can go to dinner, and then she’d be with my niece, which is her grandchild. I think that’d be the perfect Mother’s Day for her, so we’ll see what we can get her to actually do in terms of leaving the house, because she’s very much okay with having a home cooked meal and just like chilling at the house and watching some basketball. But we’ll see.

The simple things.

Yes, absolutely. I want to say happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there, whether you’re going to be a mother or are mother. Also, thinking of all of those who have lost their mother, but still celebrate Mother’s Day in remembrance of her. So I wish everybody a great day, flowers to all expecting and current mothers and special, special thoughts for all the all the women or men or whoever who have lost their mothers.