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Angel Reese made WNBA history today. The Atlanta Dream center collected the 1,000th rebound of her career in just 79 games. That broke the previous record held by Tina Charles, who needed 89 games to reach the same total. No player in the league’s history has gotten there faster.
Reese has already sought a trademark on the word Mebounds. Today, she locked up an actual record to go with it. For a player who has built her identity around rebounding, this one carries real weight.
The rebound that made Reese the fastest in WNBA history
The milestone arrived at the 4:29 mark of the third quarter. Reese grabbed an offensive rebound against the Indiana Fever, and that board pushed her career total to 1,000. The Dream went on to win 113-96, setting a franchise single-game scoring record in the process. Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta was the setting.
Reese finished the game with 18 points and eight rebounds. She also picked up a Flagrant 1 foul with 5:49 to play while working in the paint. The physical brand of basketball has defined much of her first season with the Dream.
Reese’s first year in Atlanta and what she means to the Dream
The Chicago Sky traded Reese to Atlanta in early April, and her impact on the Dream became apparent almost immediately. She entered today averaging 15.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. That placed her among just three WNBA players currently averaging a double-double. Dallas’ Jessica Shepard and Connecticut’s Aneesah Morrow are the others.
Reese’s new teammates have consistently described her as the missing piece on a team that sees itself as a championship contender. The numbers support that view. Atlanta’s defense has tightened and its rebounding margin has improved since her arrival. She brings something the Dream simply did not have before.
Where the Dream stand after Reese’s record night
Atlanta moved to 11-4 with today’s win. That pulled the Dream into a tie with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces for the second-best record in the WNBA. Only the Minnesota Lynx sit ahead of them in the standings. That also positioned Atlanta as a genuine title contender heading into the second half of the season.
The 113-point output against the Fever set a new franchise record for points in a single game. It was another sign of a team gaining confidence at a meaningful stretch of the season. Furthermore, Reese’s individual profile continues to grow. She ranked seventh in the early All-Star Game fan voting results the WNBA published this week. Her record-setting night and widespread popularity keep her in the conversation as one of the season’s standout players.
SOURCE: The New York Times
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