Angel Reese may still be early in her international career, but she received a major endorsement from two players who know exactly what it takes to thrive at the highest level. Sue Bird and Tina Charles both highlighted different parts of Reese’s game that made her valuable during Team USA’s FIBA gold-medal run, and they were quite emphatic in their assessment of what she brought to the roster.
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Bird said on Friday’s episode of the Birds Eye View that Angel Reese’s proactive mindset was a kind of competitive edge that translated well to the international level of play at the FIBA World Cup.
“The style of FIBA is you can’t be, this isn’t a let the game come to me type of style. This isn’t a reactive style. This is proactive. You gotta go take it. And Angel has proven that about herself on the court.”
“Like, this is her mindset: I’m gonna go get it. I’m gonna go take mine. And that’s exactly why, I think, she fit like seamlessly into everything that we did.”
Sue Bird was actually speaking in agreement with what Tina Charles had said about Angel Reese’s style of play. Charles also believes that the Atlanta Dream forward has a playstyle that can seamlessly translate into any roster.
“If it was one player that I thought whose style of play traveled through any type of lineup was Angel. I dare you to have the ball in front of her. She’s gonna get on the boards.”
“Even if she doesn’t get it… Like she’s just there to make sure that you’re thinking about her. Like I’m in your mind now because I’m on your back. So that was someone that I felt like could float through any lineup that y’all had out there.”
Reese did showcase her versatility at the 2026 World Cup. Despite coming off the bench in a reserve role and playing an average of 15 minutes per game, she stood out defensively while making two-way impact.
She led Team USA in blocked shots, averaging 0.8 per game, and was second on the team in steals with 1.2 per game. She also tied for second on the team in rebounds, pulling down 5.0 per game in limited action.
One game that showcased Reese’s impact quite well at the World Cup was the matchup against Italy, one in which the entire Team USA roster struggled. While the game ended with the team’s lowest-scoring total in over four decades as USA ground out a 55-52 win, Reese brought the exact “intensity and grit” to Team USA’s defense and offense.
On a night when no one could buy a basket, Reese was highly efficient, chipping in eight points going 4-for 4 from the free-throw line and hitting 2-of-3 from the floor. She also used her length and hustle to anchor the interior defense, racking up two blocks, one steal, and three rebounds.
In fact, that performance was a key contribution toward Team USA eventually coming away with a narrow 55-52 win. Head coach Kara Lawson even specifically acknowledged Reese’s performance after the game, calling her a difference-maker.
“I thought Angel competed really hard tonight. I thought she was a difference-maker for us… When she gets in the game, she impacts it; you can see it. I think everyone in the arena can see it.”
Angel Reese seems to have carried that momentum from the World Cup win to the WNBA. In the Atlanta Dream’s first game following the WNBA’s World Cup break, the forward scored 30 points and created history, extending her single-season double-double record to 30.
With three more games to go before Reese suits up for her first WNBA playoffs, the Dream are sitting in fourth on the league table behind defending champions Las Vegas Aces and ahead of the Indiana Fever. If Reese continues to showcase the versatility Sue Bird and Tina Charles praised her for, the Dream could surprise many during the 2026 playoffs.