Washington Mystics rookie Iriafen made a statement on Sunday with her physicality and defense. Fans saw Angel Reese and Kiki Iriafen show early sparks in a preseason clash, even before the WNBA season begins.

On Sunday, as the Atlanta Dream faced the Washington Mystics in a preseason game, Reese was blocked by Kiki Iriafen, with the Mystics securing an 83–72 win, and Reese was clearly frustrated after the play.

"Kiki Iriafen guarding Angel Reese like it's the playoffs. I noticed she guards her like this every time," a fan wrote on X while sharing a second-quarter clip, with the Washington Mystics at 20 and the Atlanta Dream leading with 23.

In the clip, Kiki Iriafen, the Mystics’ 2025 fourth-overall pick, was seen playing tight, physical defense on Angel Reese, bodying her up and aggressively contesting her drives.

Reese seemed visibly frustrated by Iriafen, who is only entering her sophomore season. Reese turned to her, sarcastically clapping in her direction before being helped up.

Still, Angel Reese attacked the lane on offense and competed defensively against Lauren Betts, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

But while the on-court tension grabbed attention, the bigger takeaway for the Atlanta Dream was what the game revealed about their progress as a team.

Why the Dream Are Prioritizing Development Early

Atlanta Dream's HC Karl Smesko said the starters played 12–15 minutes to test lineups, and despite some issues, he saw progress.

“We’re still getting in the groove with some things. But, you know, I can see that we’re close to putting it together,” the 55-year-old said after the match, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“The ball got stuck quite a few times, and we didn’t end up getting good shots. And we’ve got too many good players to have empty possessions.”

Moreover, after the Washington Mystics jumped out to a quick 11–4 lead, Smesko noted the starters could have found a better rhythm with more time, but emphasized that developing the bench was just as important.

“They’re so talented. I’m sure they would have gotten better. But at the same time, we have to develop this bench. We’ve got a lot of very young players, and this time for them to play against another team is very valuable,” he said.

Smesko went on to speak about how his strategy was to give players enough time in the 40 minutes to gauge their chemistry and performance, as well as give them a chance to "show what they can do."

Even though the result did not go their way, the Atlanta Dream showed growth and chemistry while preparing for the season, with key games ahead against the Minnesota Lynx on May 9 and the Las Vegas Aces on May 17 at State Farm Arena.

Can Angel Reese, backed by Karl Smesko, look to make a deep postseason run this season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Surjo Ray