Angel Reese has already made history as a rebounder this season, establishing herself on the boards while also anchoring the team’s defense, even winning the Defensive Player of the Year. Now, as she heads into the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries, the Atlanta Dream forward has the chance to make both NBA and WNBA history.
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“Angel Reese could become the first player in WNBA or NBA history to have a season with: Defensive Player of the Year, Rebounding Title, Finals MVP,” the Real App noted on X.
“She’s +500 to win FMVP on @FanDuel.”
Reese has already established herself as perhaps the most dominant rebounder in the WNBA this season. She averaged 12.1 rebounds per game, leading the league in boards for the third time in her career, and set a new standard on the glass. She set the record for both total rebounds (521) and offensive rebounds (206) in a season.
She also grabbed 26 rebounds during a game, the highest such mark, surpassing the previous record of 24 set by Chamique Holdsclaw back in 2003. Finally, Reese broke the record for most double-doubles in a single season. But that’s not where her dominance ended.
Reese’s impact earned further recognition when she was named the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year. Reese earned 46 of the 74 total votes from the media, finishing right ahead of Golden State’s Gabby Williams (20 votes). That impact shows in just one major statistic.
With Reese on the floor, the Dream’s defensive rating was about 101.9, one of the best marks in the league. Without her, the defense fell to a 114.9 mark, which is worse than the league average. That’s a 13-point swing, one of the largest such marks in the league.
Now, the postseason gives Reese the chance to etch herself into league history. So far, she and the Dream have swept both their opponents so far; the Washington Mystics fell 2-0 in the first round, while the New York Liberty were warded off 3-0.
What makes their sweep of the Liberty stand out is the fact that during Game 1, the Dream lost Allisha Gray, who led the team in scoring during the regular season and the first round. Reese picked up the slack, averaging 20.7 points per game while shooting 47.7% from the field and a blazing-hot 57.1% from three, punishing New York for leaving her open.
However, the Finals MVP race will not be easy. Williams, whom Reese beat for the DPOY, is currently the favorite for the Finals MVP award, with Underdog reporting that she is the only player with shorter odds than Reese, 48% compared to Reese’s 20%.
On top of that, the Valkyries are clearly prepared to do whatever they can to contain. Leading up to Game 1 on October 17, Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase highlighted Reese, praising her motor and competitiveness.
“She’s an ultimate ultra competitor,” she told reporters.
“To me, when we were at USA, you heard her voice constantly. So when she didn’t start, you heard her. She was constantly cheering her teammates on when they needed to. She constantly called them out when we needed energy. So, understanding, she’s a huge reason why I think that team is in the finals, Atlanta, because she brings this competitive edge, and she’s not going to let any possession slip.”
With Golden State’s squad known for their defensive brilliance and strength in numbers, Reese’s interior presence and rebounding will be particularly important to the final outcome of the series. If she can continue producing the way she has this postseason, Reese could have a compelling case for Finals MVP.
For now, Reese is looking to lead the Dream to their first championship in team history as they appear in the finals for the first time since 2013.