WNBA free agency: Former MVP Tina Charles signs with Dream in one of offseason's biggest surprises

Charles, who sat out the 2023 season, last played in 2022 with the Seattle Storm

By Jack Maloney Feb 1, 2024 at 8:43 pm ET• 1 min read

Former WNBA MVP Tina Charles is back in the league. In one of the biggest surprises of the offseason, the Atlanta Dream announced Thursday they have agreed to a deal with Charles, who sat out last season and last played with the Seattle Storm in 2022. 

After Charles went unsigned last year, most assumed that the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer was done at the highest level. She obviously disagreed, and so did the Dream. 

"Tina's ability to score and rebound the basketball at an elite level immediately helps this basketball team," Dream general manager and executive vce president Dan Padover stated in a press release. "Tina is a former MVP and Gold Medalist with a ton of 'big game' experience that I know will aid us throughout the course of the WNBA season."

Though the Dream finished under .500 last season, their rebuild took a big step forward with their first trip to the playoffs since 2018. Their moves so far this winter have made it clear that simply getting to the postseason is no longer good enough. Already they've traded for Jordin Canada to solidify their point guard spot, signed Aerial Powers to boost their wing depth and re-signed versatile forward Nia Coffey.