How Dream’s Angel Reese is helping Madina Okot prep for rookie season

COLLEGE PARK – The Atlanta Dream only have a few days left until they can cut down their roster to just 12 players, and their game against the Washington Mystics was the last time they were able to do a real evaluation of who they’ll keep. Though they lost 83-72, there were some good and bad that they can take away from the game to help make their decision, but there was one player who stood out amongst the others.

First-round pick Madina Okot is going to be safe to make the roster, and in a game where the starters didn’t see many minutes, her effort on both sides of the ball stood out to Karl Smesko.

“I’m really impressed with Madina’s potential,” Smesko said after the game. “All the things she’s able to do. Make defensive plays, alter shots, score in the post. She had a nice drive, and she’s still learning a lot. For her to be able to impact the game as much as she did was pretty impressive.”

Okot finished with nine points, six rebounds and two blocks, and though she’s only been with the team for roughly three weeks, she’s making strides with the help she’s getting from others around her.

“I’ve had the best experience,” Okot said. “I’m here; it’s not college anymore. Learning so much from my vets, and they’ve been doing a great job talking to me through everything. My coaches have done a good job trying to delete what I was used to doing in South Carolina. This is a new system. I’ll be ready when the season is here.”

Madina:

“I’ve had the best experience. I’m here, it’s not college anymore. Learning so much from my vets and they’ve been doing a great job talking to me through everything. My coaches have done a good job trying to delete what I was used to doing in South Carolina. This is a… pic.twitter.com/7ZyohTnyHk

— Malik Brown (@_MalikATL) May 3, 2026

One player who has been in her ear is Angel Reese, who also just got to the team this offseason but is already one of the better players in the league for what she’s accomplished in her first two years.

When Okot would come to the bench, Reese would be the first one coaching up the rookie. When she was on the floor, Reese was one of the first players off the bench, celebrating her teammate when she did something good.

“She’s always trying to get me ready,” Okot said about Reese. “She’s more experienced than I am, and she’s always trying to talk to me through the things I’m supposed to be doing. That’s before the game. During the game, when I’m on the bench, she’s in, and when I’m in, she’s on the bench, so she’s seeing more of what I’m doing out there.”

Unlike the Dream, the Mystics played their regular rotation throughout the entire game. That gave some of the younger players, such as Okot, a chance to play against some of the seasoned players in the league.

“You’re going up against WNBA talent, players who are going to be really good in this league,” Smesko said. “You get to see how you compete against those types of players. I think it’s really the best way to learn and grow.”

For Okot, any experience will be the best for her this season, and it’s safe to say that she has the right people around to guide her through her rookie year.

The post How Dream’s Angel Reese is helping Madina Okot prep for rookie season appeared first on ClutchPoints.