Angel Reese is happy to be in Atlanta, and her new teammates are excited to join forces with her. Their press conference left no doubt about that. The vibes were immaculate.
Reese was a two-time All-Star in Chicago and established herself as the best rebounder in the game. She also struggled to score efficiently around the rim, especially in her first season, and averaged a ton of turnovers.
2026 already promises to be Reese’s best, most well-rounded season yet because of two simple reasons. One: She will be surrounded by better teammates who can create space, get her the ball, and carry their fair share of the offensive burden. Two: She enjoys her new surroundings and the organization. As a player, it’s difficult to play your best when you don’t feel like you’re part of a team or organization that values you and believes in you—which is something that Reese admitted was the case in Chicago.
Reese called coming to the Dream “a breath of fresh air”
Reese made sure to shout out Chicago for giving her a chance to grow and learn during her first two years and welcoming her with open arms, but she also took a shot at her old organization.
“Having a GM that really wanted me and knew what my talents are, being able to talk to players that genuinely know what I am and who I am as a person but also as a player is like a breath of fresh air,” Reese said. “It lowkey makes me emotional because I haven’t had this, and I’m really grateful.”
Feeling valued and appreciated can make all the difference for a young player.
Atlanta has a stacked roster
The Dream’s roster has everything the Sky lacked around Reese: 3-point shooting, perimeter defense, star power, and veteran experience. Reese is an excellent defender—she won the inaugural Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year award last season—but she cannot carry a team’s defensive success by herself. Atlanta has perimeter defenders who can create a cohesive unit with Reese on that end of the floor.
Reese has worked on her 3-point shot, but she is still not a volume shooter or overly efficient. That should change soon, if Naz Hillmon’s development in just one season under Karl Smesko is any indication, but Reese is still at her best around the rim and in a fast-paced offense. Between Hillmon, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Te-Hina Paopao, the Dream’s roster features a ton of shooting to open things up for Reese.
There will be plenty of opportunities for Reese to push the ball in transition, but she will also play with a high-level veteran point guard who can get her the ball in halfcourt actions for the first time in her career (if you don’t count the handful of games Courtney Vandersloot played last season).
Veteran is an important term here. Reese didn’t have much veteran leadership in Chicago. She should be able to learn a ton from Jordin Canada, who won two titles with the Seattle Storm, and Bri Jones, who went on several deep playoff runs with the Connecticut Sun.
Add us as a preferred source on Google