The Atlanta Dream suffered an 84-80 loss to the Tulsa Shock Tuesday night but most of the questions after the game were about the status of All-Star forward Angel McCoughtry. News broke shortly before tipoff that McCoughtry had been suspended by the team indefinitely for a violation of team rules. This news comes just one day after the team parted ways with head coach and general manager Marynell Meadors and replaced her with Fred Williams.
Williams met the media following Tuesday's game and did his best to outline the McCoughtry situation for everyone.
Reporter: Is she or is she not suspended from the team right now?
Williams: She's suspended indefinitely right now until I have a conversation and until we can clear some things in the air.
Williams goes on to add that he suspended McCoughtry right after taking over as head coach and general manager. However, neither he nor the team can agree on whether or not McCoughtry was suspended by Meadors. If you remember McCoughtry missed two games last week for what was deemed "personal reasons."
Reporter: Was she suspended prior to you taking over the team?
Williams: No. Not from me.
Reporter: Was she suspended by the prior coach?
Williams: By the prior coach? Yes, she was suspended by the prior coach, yes. (*)
So Williams maintains that McCoughtry was in fact suspended by Meadors prior to his taking over the club but Swish Appeal writer James Bowman was later contacted by the team's Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Tonya Alleyne and told that there was no prior suspension for McCoughtry under former coach Marynell Meadors.
To recap, Angel McCoughtry is currently suspended indefinitely by the team for a violation of team rules but will meet with new head coach Fred Williams on Wednesday. She may or may not have been suspended prior to Williams taking over for Marynell Meadors. At this time there is still no further details as to what led to Meadors' dismissal.
For more on the Atlanta Dream check out SB Nation Atlanta. For more news and notes on the WNBA head over to Swish Appeal.