Angel Reese’s newest work hints at a significant alternative for her within the upcoming WNBA postseason.
Angel Reese continues to be downright demonic for WNBA record-book keepers this season.
Reese set one more numerical landmark when her Atlanta Dream went into the FIBA World Cup break with an 89-81 upset victory over the Minnesota Lynx. A haul of 15 factors and 11 rebounds―earned whereas holding Lynx franchise face Napheesa Collier scoreless on 4 tries in one-on-one play―granted Reese her twenty ninth double-double of the season, breaking a single-campaign report she shared with Alyssa Thomas of the 2023 Connecticut Solar.
Reese beforehand set new league information for many rebounds in a sport and season (mockingly doing each in the identical sport) and was additionally the quickest to each 70 double-doubles and 1,000 rebounds.
„It actually does not shock me,“ Reese mentioned within the aftermath of her newest achievement, per Megan Corridor and Cydney Henderson of USA At present. „I do not take any second with no consideration in any respect, as a result of this is a chance of a lifetime, and lots of people actually, actually want they may very well be right here. So, I am actually grateful, and I am actually excited. So each milestone, each report is simply destined to understanding who I’m.“
Wading into waters of the Reese legacy debate pool is a dive right into a minefield. Her gargantuan rebound totals are undeniably partly inflated by placing again her personal misses. Almost three years into her skilled profession, it is clear that her type of play is not for everybody, not that Reese has ever granted a lot consideration to public notion.
Reese Capturing At Peace
A golden alternative to create an indeniable shift in her repute could quickly floor. It is a literal Dream come true, one which’s set to have Reese taking her abilities to the postseason for the primary time. With Atlanta’s playoff spot lengthy clinched, it might seem that Reese is getting sizzling on the excellent alternative.
The commonest criticism about Reese’s sport is that she adheres too strictly to conventional inside antics, significantly in the case of taking pictures: simply over 80% of her tries from the sphere come from lower than 5 toes from the basket. It is sufficient for a lot of to facetiously champion Reese because the founding father of „mebounds,“ the act of getting again one’s personal misfire from shut vary.
Previous habits have lived on for Reese: in Atlanta’s remaining six earlier than the FIBA World Cup break, she hasn’t damaged away from the restricted space a lot, as all however eight of her 80 subject aim tries have come within the paint. However deeper numbers trace at a way of move and separation.
Reese has shot 53.8% within the final six, rounding out the highest 10 amongst ladies taking pictures at the very least 10 occasions per sport (tied with Washington All-Star Kiki Iriafen). That is one of the best six-game output Reese has had on the accuracy charts since her Atlanta profession started and the second-best of all her postings so far when she has at the very least 80 tries in such a span.
Moreover, just below 63% of Reese’s profitable subject objectives have had an help hooked up to them, 18 helpers from both Jordin Canada or Allisha Grey. That is up from the 54.7% she had firstly of July over the primary two months of the season.
Angel Reese now has the WNBA report for many double-doubles in a season (29)
Earlier this week she broke the WNBA report for rebounds in a single sport (26) and single season (458) on the identical night time! pic.twitter.com/JCLHlzLKkh
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 30, 2026
The Dream’s Alive
It has lengthy been established that Atlanta was most likely one of the best place Reese might’ve ended up contemplating she’s the most recent addition to the period led by Grey and Rhyne Howard. Any misfires from the sharpshooting bunch additional complemented by Canada and Naz Hillmon have been vulnerable to land in her expansive attain and the prophecy has, fairly clearly, been fulfilled to the tune of her historic rebounding digits.
Reese can quickly put the „V“ in MVP for possibly not a league however a franchise desperate to snap a prolonged streak of arduous luck on the hardwood.
With 4 video games left on most dockets, Atlanta is on the pole within the race for the fourth slot that ensures homecourt benefit in at the very least one playoff spherical. They’ll maybe end third, being one sport behind the defending Las Vegas Aces with their break formally underway.
It continues a streak of excellence that Grey and Howard have ushered in since they first collaborated in 2023, because the Dream has the fourth-most wins within the WNBA since then. Nevertheless, the 2 have but to obtain development on the playoff bracket, persevering with a streak that dates again to 2017. The nine-year drought is the longest on the lively WNBA ledgers.
In different phrases, if Reese’s presence proves to be the distinction between a bittersweet bout and a succulent season, it will be arduous to disclaim her affect. It might additionally fulfill a prophecy put forth after however just a few heavenly practices with Reese, who is about to partake in the US‘ World Cup run that will get underway on Friday in Berlin in opposition to China (8:15 a.m. ET, TNT).
„Angel (Reese) being the beast that she is on the boards … it is simply wonderful to see the issues that she does. Day in and day trip, each single sport,“ mentioned Canada postgame. „I’ve by no means seen something prefer it to be trustworthy, and I am glad she’s on our staff. She’s in a position to get us extra possessions. She’s in a position to create for herself. She’s in a position to do all of it … she brings that grit, that tenacity, that perspective that we’d like, that we have been lacking.“
Geoff Magliocchetti on X @GeoffJMags
