From the pits to the playoffs, Angel Reese has arrived at the biggest moment in her career — but the path wasn’t always so clear.
One year ago, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft was fresh off a 10-34 season with the Chicago Sky. And while the record wasn’t ideal and raised concerns, much bigger questions surrounded Chicago, and specifically, Reese’s future there.
An Unsteady Ending in Chi-Town
The unease began after Reese made comments during the latter half of the 2025 season. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, the young star — who was facing her second consecutive losing season — did not hold back.
When asked about the upcoming free agency cycle, Reese told the Tribune, “I’m not settling for the same s*** we did this year. We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me.”
Not only was Reese doing everything she could on the court as the Sky’s leading scorer, but she was all in off the court as well. She bought a house right outside of Chicago; she invested time and energy into the community. And, perhaps most importantly, when asked about the Sky’s facilities — that have been a topic of discussion around the league for years now — she redirected her response. “I just want to hoop,” Reese simply said.
Additionally, Reese got candid about her future with the organization: “I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me. But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can.”
Finally, Reese mentioned two-time WNBA Champion and her teammate Courtney Vandersloot, who was rehabbing a torn ACL at the time. “We can’t rely on Courtney to come back at the age that she’s at. I know she’ll be a great asset for us, but we can’t rely on that. We need someone probably a little younger with some experience, somebody who’s been playing the game and is willing to compete for a championship and has done it before.”
Many fans saw these comments as Reese simply expressing frustrations, while showing how much she still cared about the future of the Chicago Sky. She wanted other stars — specifically, free agents — to believe enough in the vision she held for the franchise. Unfortunately, the front office did not see it that way. Shortly after the interview was released, she was suspended for half a game for “statements detrimental to the team.” However, she did not come off the bench in the second half. In fact, due to an injury, Reese sat out for the final four games of the season.
Reese did apologize for her comments and felt they did not reflect what she was trying to get across: “So, I want to apologize to my teammates, which I already have, about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said. And I just have to be better with my language. Because I know it’s not the message; it’s the messenger. And understanding what I say can be taken any kind of way. So, I just have to really be better and grow from this.”
When asked if he had spoken to Reese, head coach Tyler Marsh responded, “That will stay between me and Angel, but I think that everyone had their opportunities to speak. And we’ll leave it at that.”
It’s unclear whether or not this suspension was the boiling point for the fractured relationship between Reese and the Sky, but things sure did take a turn.
Due to being on a rookie contract, Reese was unable to explore free agency, so after the 2025 season came to an end, the questions lingered: Would Reese be forced to stay in Chicago? Will she be traded? Is the relationship too far gone?
Things Are Peachy in Atlanta
Flash forward to today, Reese’s September couldn’t be more different this time around. Instead of wondering where she’ll end up, she’s competing in her first WNBA playoff series.
When the Sky traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream last offseason, it was made clear that the decision was mutual. Chicago got a couple of future first-round draft picks while Reese got what has turned out to be a fresh start.
The three-time All-Star has always been just that — a star. But Atlanta has brought out an entirely new side of her.
“You can kind of see, honestly, this whole season I’ve been playing more free,” she told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I don’t feel like I have a lot on my shoulders because they’ve helped me a lot — the coaches and everybody here with the organization.”
“Our team is just so fun; it feels like a sisterhood, and I’m just so happy,” Reese said in an interview with SiriusXM. “I really genuinely just love being in Atlanta; the fan base obviously speaks for itself, but I just love Atlanta.”
She’s thriving on the court as well. Reese closed the regular season averaging 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. She led the league in rebounds, she recorded the most rebounds and most double-doubles in a single WNBA season, and her name is at the top of the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
The list truly goes on and on — and the fun part has only just begun.
Reese’s Playoff History and What She Brings Against Washington
Reese hasn’t led her team to a playoff appearance since her senior year at LSU, when she was one of the biggest faces in March Madness.
She transferred to LSU in 2022 for her junior season, making an immediate impact. She led the Tigers in scoring and was second across the NCAA in rebounds per game. When March hit, it became clear she wasn’t letting LSU fall short of a ring.
Through the 2022-23 NCAA Tournament, Reese averaged 21.3 points, 15.2 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game. In the national championship, she put up 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals — guiding LSU to a 102-85 victory.
While the following year didn’t result in the same glory, Reese still did her thing. Through her final NCAA Tournament, she averaged 15.8 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. The Tigers were eliminated during the Elite Eight, but not without a fight from Reese, who recorded 17 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks.
To put it simply — Reese knows what a ‘win or go home’ situation feels like. We’ve seen her put her team on her back and thrive. She might be in new colors and a new league, but the energy and dominance she brought to the Bayou during the postseason surely won’t be too hard to reignite. And we already saw a glimpse of it in the first game against Washington.
Reese got off to a cold start in Game 1 on Sunday. Through the first half, she shot only 1-of-7 from the field — heading into the break with only three points. However, there was a very specific moment in the third quarter when Reese seemingly remembered exactly who she is. With about two-and-a-half minutes left in the period, DeWanna Bonner dished Reese a pass, going on to make an off-balance layup on her way to the ground. She got the and-one, and as she sat up from the floor, we got a signature Angel Reese mean mug.
The remainder of this series will be no small feat for Reese, specifically. Washington is the best rebounding team in the WNBA — Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin sit at No. 3 and No. 4 in rebounds per game across the league. The Dream sit at fifth in the league, averaging 31 rebounds per game — 12 of those come from Reese.
Reese’s importance in this series can’t be stressed enough — but when you look at where she was a year ago, it’s almost a guarantee that she’d take this version of her career 10 times out of 10.