Angel Reese is making a significant impact in her first WNBA postseason, helping lead the Atlanta Dream to the franchise’s first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013. The 6-foot-4 forward contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal in Atlanta’s 85-83 victory over the New York Liberty on October 9, completing a three-game sweep in the semifinal series.
Reese, traded to the Dream in April after two seasons with the Chicago Sky, had long anticipated a run like this. Nearly a year prior, on October 11, 2025, she tweeted her intent to reach the Finals, a goal she expressed emotional fulfillment over after the Game 3 victory. “I manifested this,” Reese said, crediting her teammates and the organization for supporting her through the journey. Reese’s performance included shooting 7-for-18 from the field, making 2 of 4 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in 37 minutes.
The Dream’s success has come despite the absence of Allisha Gray, who sat out her second consecutive playoff game with a finger injury. Guard Rhyne Howard, who scored 21 points with four three-pointers in Game 3, emphasized Reese’s role as a catalyst for the team’s postseason run, describing her as the “anchor” who inspires their competitive edge.
Reese has excelled statistically this season, setting single-season franchise records with 521 rebounds and 32 double-doubles. Throughout the 2026 playoffs, she has averaged 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. Reese reflected on watching the previous year’s Finals from home and yearning for a chance to compete, noting how her move to Atlanta provided the opportunity and environment necessary to reach this moment.
While Reese has prior championship experience at the collegiate level, having led LSU to the school’s first national title in 2023, the WNBA Finals present new challenges. Despite it being her first Finals appearance, Reese expressed confidence and determination to not only participate but also contend for the championship.
Veteran players like two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner and Jordin Canada offer leadership to the Dream. Bonner, who scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Game 3, holds the league record for playoff appearances, while Canada added 19 points and 11 assists without turnovers. Both veterans emphasize maintaining focus and humility in the Finals. Bonner reminded teammates of the importance of steadiness, citing her own experience of being swept in a previous Finals. Canada echoed this sentiment, stressing the need to manage emotions throughout the series.
Emotions ran high during Game 3 when Reese and Liberty forward Jonquel Jones were assessed offsetting technical fouls in the second quarter following a physical exchange near the sideline. This marked Reese’s second technical foul of the postseason, bringing her two fouls away from an automatic one-game suspension under WNBA playoff rules.
As the Dream advance to the Finals, Reese and her teammates aim to sustain the balance of intensity and composure that has propelled them this far, with the ultimate goal of securing the franchise’s first championship.