Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese cemented herself in WNBA history after earning Defensive Player of the Year honors for the 2026 season.

Reese completed the third regular-season of her career in the league, her first with the Dream. She enjoyed her best campaign to date as she helped Atlanta secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference standings and clinch a playoff berth, the first in her career.

Reese excelled as a rebounder and defender while being a double-double machine. Her efforts elevated as Atlanta benefitted from her presence on the court.

She was active with blocking shots inside the paint and forcing turnovers. This paved the way for her to earn the league's top defensive honor, making history with how soon she claimed the achievement.

How Angel Reese, Dream played against Mystics

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Angel Reese and the Dream are on a mission to make a run to the WNBA Finals. They showed that after sweeping the Washington Mystics in the first round of the playoffs.

Reese wasn't as efficient on offense as she would've liked, but she managed to be effective in other areas to help Atlanta win both games. She averaged 14 points, 9.5 rebounds, two blocks, 1.5 assists, one steal per game. She had shooting splits of 34.8% from the field, including 16.7% from beyond the arc, and 84.6% from free-throw line.

In 30 minutes of action throughout Game 1, Reese was active on the glass. She finished with a stat line of 13 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block. In the series closer, she produced 15 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists throughout 28 minutes on the court in Game 2.

The Dream will look forward to their next opponent in the next round of the postseason. They take on the New York Liberty in the semifinals as Game 1 commences on Oct. 4.