Peter Okereke
Two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese commented recently on joining the Atlanta Dream this season, following her move from the Chicago Sky.
Reese spent two seasons with the Sky, which selected her with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. On April 6 however, Atlanta acquired the 6-foot-3 star in exchange for first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028 and a pick swap in 2028.
In her media availability during the Dream’s shootaround on Friday, Reese praised the team’s development under head coach Karl Smesko.
“Looking at last year, the success that they had under one year with Karl,” Reese said, per USA Today’s Meghan Hall.
“I was just seeing how the player development was for him and how he developed Naz (Hillmon) in one year, and how I wanted that. I wanted to win and I wanted to come somewhere where I was gonna be able to win.”
According to Angel Reese, the Dream was the best choice for her as winning a WNBA championship was also top of mind.
“It was a perfect fit for me. … I wanna win a WNBA championship no matter what it looks like for me,” she added.
Reese also revealed that she had already developed friendships with her current teammates, Alisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, before being traded.
Karl Smesko was named the Atlanta Dream coach before the 2025 season and went 30-14. Atlanta had a 15-game improvement from the previous season and was tied for the second-best record in the WNBA. Smesko then finished second to the Golden State Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase in the Coach of the Year voting.
Under Smesko, Hillmon had a career season and became a key contributor for Atlanta off the bench. She was named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year in 2025.
As a result, Reese had hoped she would have the same improvement as Hillmon’s. In three games this season, she is already averaging 10.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. Nonetheless, it would be interesting to see how the season goes for her heading into the next few months.
