After a standout showing with Team USA in March, Angel Reese is reflecting on a remarkable year, as the Atlanta Dream head coach delivers a message on her growing impact.

Recently, Karl Smesko, who has led the Atlanta Dream since November 2024, spoke about the addition of Angel Reese, saying, “Angel’s a special talent. Everyone’s aware that she’s the best rebounder in the league.”

And that praise holds, as Angel Reese has already established herself as a dominant rebounder in the WNBA, averaging 12.9 boards per game in her first two seasons and becoming the fastest player to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds, doing so in just 38 games.

“But I also appreciate the other skills that she brings to the team, from competitiveness to being able to handle the ball. She’s somebody that can grab and go. She can be on either side of the pick-and-roll. I think that versatility just makes her a unique talent,” the 55-year-old continued.

Adding Angel Reese definitely stands out as one of the biggest offseason moves, placing her in a system with the Atlanta Dream that’s built to maximize her strengths.

With Brionna Jones and Naz Hillmon returning, head coach Karl Smesko now has multiple frontcourt options, and while Reese’s popularity travels with her, her impact will depend on how she fits into this setup.

Meanwhile, demand is already rising, as StubHub reported a 15x spike in ticket sales in a single day after Reese’s arrival, marking the biggest surge in franchise history.

While her fit in Atlanta stands out, the groundwork behind this move began much earlier.

Dream’s Bold Move for Angel Reese Was Months in the Making

It was clear that things weren’t going smoothly between Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky after another losing season, but neither side showed clear signs of wanting to part ways.

In fact, Angel Reese said in December she planned to stay in Chicago, making her move to the Atlanta Dream for two future first-round picks a surprise. However, the move wasn’t sudden, as Chicago had made Angel Reese available.

Karl Smesko of the Atlanta Dream later revealed, “Angel, that was something at the end of last year, Dan and I spoke about that we really thought would be a great addition for us if we could do something like that,” during a press conference with GM Dan Padover on April 12.

Adding Angel Reese to a team with stars like Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray can be challenging, but the Atlanta Dream look well-equipped to make it work.

So, do you think Angel Reese can elevate the Atlanta Dream into a true title contender this season?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Utsav Gupta