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Angel Reese has helped push the Atlanta Dream into the WNBA Finals. Now, she faces a defining test against the Golden State Valkyries, while questions about her departure from Chicago continue to follow her.
As Atlanta prepares for Game 1, three issues stand out. How did Reese end up with the Dream? Does her winning mentality match the results? And how much has she contributed to the growing demand for women’s basketball?
Why did Angel Reese leave Chicago?
Chicago selected Reese with the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft after moving up from No. 8. Two seasons later, the Sky traded her to Atlanta in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.
The move followed public tension over the Sky’s roster. In September 2025, Reese criticized the team’s personnel and suggested she might consider another direction if things did not improve. Chicago suspended her for half a game over comments the team considered harmful to its interests. She later missed the rest of the season with a back injury.
Reports citing unnamed sources said Reese did not formally request a trade. Reese’s own account suggested she worked with Chicago on a destination after learning she would be traded. Atlanta also wanted her.
The distinction matters. Publicly expressing frustration does not necessarily mean a player formally demands a trade. The full circumstances remain unclear.
Can Reese prove her winning mentality?
Reese has said she brings a winning mentality wherever she plays. Her supporters can point to Atlanta’s run to its first Finals since 2013 as evidence of her impact.
Her individual numbers have also improved. Across 43 regular-season games, she averaged career highs of 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds. In five playoff games, she has averaged 18 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.
Her three-point shooting has climbed from 19.3% in the regular season to 38.5% in the playoffs. Atlanta is 13-0 this season in games where she makes at least one three-pointer, according to the supplied report.
Still, context matters. Chicago reached the playoffs five straight times from 2019 through 2023 and won the championship in 2021. The Sky missed the postseason during both of Reese’s seasons there. Atlanta, meanwhile, had already won 30 games the season before her arrival.
Her performance in the Finals will offer another measure of how much she can influence a team’s success.
Is Reese driving interest in the WNBA Finals?
Ticket demand for the Finals is reportedly 13% higher than in 2024, which had been considered the league’s most in-demand Finals at the time. StubHub supplied the figures cited in the report.
Some fans have credited Reese for the growing interest. However, former sports anchor Linda Cohn cautioned against drawing conclusions from ticket listings alone. Full-season attendance offers a broader measure of a player’s impact on demand.
The matchup presents a difficult challenge. Golden State has the league’s best defense and beat Atlanta in all three regular-season meetings.
If Reese maintains her improved outside shooting, the Dream could have another weapon against the Valkyries. The Finals will test her production, her influence on Atlanta and the questions that have followed her since Chicago.
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