The Atlanta Dream have hired La’Keshia Frett and Daynia La-Force as assistant coaches ahead of the 2021 season, the organization announced today.
The two coaches will join Interim Head Coach Mike Petersen and Assistant Coach Darius Taylor to lead the Dream this season.
“Being able to add La’Keshia Frett and Daynia La-Force to our coaching staff is so exciting,” Petersen said. “La’Keshia is one of the all-time great players in our sport, and Daynia has had an excellent career both as a player and a coach. They bring a depth of knowledge that will help both our players and our staff immensely.” `
Frett, a former All-American and four-time All-SEC honoree at the University of Georgia, comes to Atlanta after serving as an assistant coach at Auburn for the 2019-20 season. Previously, she coached six seasons at the University of Virginia, where she worked primarily with the Cavaliers’ post players.
“I am just excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Atlanta Dream and work with the coaches and the players,” Frett said. “Being a former WNBA player and having the chance to be back in the league but in a different way feels great. I’m absolutely excited about the opportunity.”
As a professional basketball player, Frett played seven seasons in the WNBA – a career that included three appearances in the Western Conference Finals – after a two-year stint in the American Basketball League. Frett retired from the WNBA to take a full-time coaching position at her alma mater, serving as an assistant coach for Georgia from 2005-11. She also served as the program’s director of operations for two seasons.
La-Force joins the Dream staff after most recently leading the Rhode Island Rams for five seasons. Also a former head coach at Northwestern and New Haven, La-Force is the co-owner of BentForce Basketball and the co-founder of Mothers Against Racism.
“Young girls have dreams of playing in the WNBA, and I had dreams of coaching in the WNBA,” La-Force said. “I am grateful to Coach Petersen and the front office for making my dream come true. I am really looking forward to working with Coach Taylor and the rest of this hard-working staff. The Dream is a first-class organization and the women on the team are proven competitors. I believe my 23 years of coaching expertise will help elevate everyone’s goal of reaching that championship level.”
A 1995 graduate of Georgetown University, La-Force was a standout member of the women’s basketball team, highlighted by the Hoyas’ 1992-93 season in which they won the Big East Conference championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. La-Force has two sons – Terance Mann currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers and Martin Mann plays basketball at Pace University. Her husband, Eddie Benton, is currently an assistant coach at Brown University.
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