Angel Reese has made her playstyle a hallmark of its own in the WNBA. As she begins a new journey with the Atlanta Dream in 2026, team head coach Karl Smesko has outlined where the "Bayou Barbie" stands currently.

In less than two weeks since her first press conference for the Dream, Reese's talent and progress have impressed Smesko. Before the Dream hits the hardwood for its first season game against the Lynx on May 11, the head coach revealed exactly how the 23-year-old has improved.

"She has the green light to take open 3's, but she has the talent to score in a variety of ways," said Smesko, per USA Today reporter, Meghan L. Hall. "This is just gonna be a part of what she does ... hopefully people will be patient with that, but there's been tremendous progress already."

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Dream handed an 87-78 defeat to the Chicago Sky in its preseason opener. Angel Reese contributed eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, and three steals. She achieved this in under 13 minutes of play.

Although she didn’t make any 3Ps in that game, Smesko believed that she was very much capable of doing so and more. Reese's 2025 statistics back up the claim. She shot 45.8% from the field, 18.2% from the 3P arc, and made 75.6% free throws.

While Smesko foresaw more progress, Reese herself echoed similar sentiments.

Angel Reese on Karl Smesko’s Coaching

Reese’s adjectives for her team after having begun preseason practice included adjectives like "electric" and "seamless." Moreover, the 23-year-old had detailed remarks for her coach, and not just her teammates.

"My experience with Karl has been amazing," said Reese. "We work at it every day before practice, about me shooting and keeping my shot on target and everything. And I can tell the difference. Even my misses look like makes, and they're close enough."

"He's been doing a lot of great things with me," she added. "He's sitting down individually (with me). But I appreciate him for holding me accountable every single possession, and always getting on me."

While Reese continues navigating her footing in Atlanta, what new heights do you think she can reach under Smesko’s guidance? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Yask Kotak