Team USA relied on its veterans to win gold on Sunday, but Angel Reese might have been the biggest winner of the tournament.
Kara Lawson's side came from behind to beat France in the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Germany. Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young led the United States down the stretch, but Reese arguably made the biggest plays of the final.
The Atlanta Dream forward's defense was a true game-changer, especially when she locked down Pauline Astier at the end of the first half. That was part of the tone shift the veterans set, and it showed why Reese is one of the top players in the WNBA. Those are the kinds of plays she's made throughout the World Cup, and she added the exclamation mark on a great tournament with a fourth-quarter block.
Angel Reese might just be the biggest winner of the World Cup due to her work on the court, which boosted her reputation off the court.
Reese reminded WNBA fans who she is beyond the haters
The FIBA social media team deserved some flowers. It felt like their content on all social platforms helped elevate all of the players and told stories that connected with fans.
Along with Reese's personal content, it wasn't hard to see Reese and everyone else on Team USA bonding and having the time of their lives in Berlin. Of course, the Paige Bueckers-Reese duo gave fans plenty of meme material.
All of that built a foundation for people to see Reese's game with clearer eyes, with a view beyond her lowlights and the mocking of her "mebounds" that gain traction on social media algorithms.
Reese proved she could be an efficient scorer, leading Team USA in field-goal percentage. She is an impactful rebounder, which was greatly needed with A'ja Wilson out and questions about the USA's frontcourt depth.
Atlanta is a team of Defensive Player of the Year contenders, so that might have been why her defensive impact goes under the radar. However, it was allowed to be on full display with Team USA, and it could keep her around for future international tournaments.
Reese could be a foundational player for Team USA
It was understandable why fans wanted to see more of the "Young and Turnt" in the World Cup. That core helped grow the WNBA's popularity, and they showed a glimpse of the future of the U.S. women's basketball program.
As mentioned, Bueckers and Reese provided fans with amazing social media content off the court, and their friendship is matched by their chemistry on the court. The same is true with Caitlin Clark. Reese and Clark might be one of the deadliest pick-and-roll combos, and it felt refreshing to see how great they are on the court beyond the noise.
It's unknown how many international tournaments the veteran players want to be part of in the future. The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles might be one they won't want to miss, but Reese did more than enough to keep her spot on the roster amid a growing talent pool.
Regardless if Lawson remains with Team USA, Reese's defense will be valued by any head coach, and she's still only 24 years old and always trying to develop her game, so her offensive ability should continue to improve.
The young players didn't play as many minutes as fans might have liked, but the FIBA World Cup was a great teaching lesson for them. It strengthened their chemistry, and it helped give them more experience on the international stage that will prove valuable as other nations get better and better.
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