Angel Reese is so ATL: What this new addition means for the Atlanta Dream

On April 6, 2026, the WNBA suffered a serious jolt in the offseason — the Chicago Sky traded two-time All-Star Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, along with swap rights on the Sky’s 2028 second-round selection.

For context

Before you can understand the magnitude of this trade, you have to understand that Reese is arguably one of — if not the — most polarizing active players in the WNBA. We can trace her rise to fame or infamy, depending on how you see it, to the last minute of the NCAA championship game in 2023, when Reese performed John Cena’s “You Can’t See Me” gesture at Caitlin Clark and pointed to her ring finger. LSU went on to win the game 102-85, and it was the single most-watched women’s college basketball game in history at the time, with nearly 10 million viewers. Overnight, Angel Reese became both a hero and a villain of women’s basketball. 

The backlash of this moment was severe. Reese revealed in the following days, weeks and months that fans sent her death threats following the game. Many argued that Reese faced harsher scrutiny than Clark did for the same behavior because of her race. Reese, always remaining measured, publicly insisted that she didn’t “think people realize it’s not personal,” and that she and Clark didn’t have any off-the-court beef. What Angel Reese seemed to understand better than anyone was that the Clark-Reese rivalry significantly increased public interest in women’s basketball at the collegiate and professional levels. 

Reese’s time in Chicago

Angel Reese made 64 career appearances with the Chicago Sky, where she averaged 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists, which earned her two All-Star selections. Reese is also the only player in WNBA history to average at least 12 rebounds per game in a season, which she did twice. Despite Reese’s successes, the Sky missed the playoffs both years she played for them, finishing 13-27 and 10-34 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. 

But by the end of last season, Reese’s internal frustration became public. She told the Chicago Tribune that the Sky needed to “get great players” or she might consider leaving. In response, the Sky suspended her for the first half of a game against the Las Vegas Aces. For context, the Chicago Sky has been voted the worst-run franchise in the WNBA, and this decision certainly reflected that. Fans retaliated against their favorite player being benched with “Free Angel” signs during games.

Angel to Atlanta

In short, the Dream got the better end of this deal by a long shot. Atlanta finished the 2025 season with a 30-14 record and was already a legitimate contender before adding the best rebounder in the WNBA to its roster. Reese joins guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray to form a trio that has almost every skill a winning team needs. 

Analytically, Reese is going to turn a really good team into a great team. Reese led the league with 4.1 offensive rebounds per game, and the Atlanta Dream attempted 28.8 threes per game in 2025, shooting at 33.7%. These misses need to be picked up by someone, and Angel Reese is the best player to do exactly that. 

What does this mean for Chicago?

Although Chicago’s decision is hard to defend, it’s still not without its perks. The Sky now has five first-round picks over the next three seasons and has followed Reese’s trade by signing veteran guard Skylar Diggins and Azurá Stevens — a real attempt at a cultural reset by management. 

It’s evident by her time spent in Chicago that Reese needs to be with a team that supports her and uses her talent to its fullest potential. Atlanta fans are welcoming their new player with open arms. Based on the fact that Reese’s jersey sold out within hours of being traded, it’s likely that Reese will have no trouble finding support in her new city.