Phoenix Mercury v Atlanta Dream COLLEGE PARK, GA - AUGUST 5: Angel Reese 5 of the Atlanta Dream shoots the ball during a game between Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on August 5, 2026 in College Park, Georgia. 9589
Phoenix Mercury v Atlanta Dream COLLEGE PARK, GA - AUGUST 5: Angel Reese 5 of the Atlanta Dream shoots the ball during a game between Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on August 5, 2026 in College Park, Georgia. 9589
Atlanta Dream secures back-to-back dominant wins after the FIBA World Cup break, and Angel Reese's record-breaking WNBA season continues. With 10 rebounds in each game, Reese has earned DPOY shouts from the fans.
Reese scored 23 points against her old team, Chicago, as her team clinched a 106-81 victory. Against Connecticut, the Dream forward landed 30 points, but through her rebounds, she made WNBA history.
Reese etched her name into WNBA lore Saturday, becoming the first to reach 500 rebounds in a season. The Dream forward continues her rich run of form in the league through the 17-day WC break.
UNCASVILLE, CT - AUGUST 13: Angel Reese 5 of the Atlanta Dream dribbles the ball up court during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between Atlanta Dream and Connecticut Sun on August 13, 2026, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 13 Atlanta Dream at Connecticut Sun EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26081387
UNCASVILLE, CT - AUGUST 13: Angel Reese 5 of the Atlanta Dream dribbles the ball up court during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between Atlanta Dream and Connecticut Sun on August 13, 2026, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 13 Atlanta Dream at Connecticut Sun EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon26081387
Last month, Reese broke A'ja Wilson's record for most rebounds in a single season with 451 against the Los Angeles Sparks. That night, she finished the game with a league-record 26 rebounds, as reported by USA Today's Meghan L. Hall.
Fans are now heavily tipping the 24-year-old for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Fans rally behind Reese for defensive honor
Becoming the first player in WNBA history to secure 500 rebounds in a single season is enough to convince fans to name her Defensive Player of the Year already. One fan thinks there are greater things lined up for Reese.
“Defensive player of the year is hers ! Next year Mvp is hers !” wrote a fan on Underdog WNBA’s X post.
The sentiment reflects growing confidence in Reese's historic season trajectory.
Averaging 12.4 rebounds per game this season, Reese is quite ahead of the second-leading rebounder in the league, Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard, who averages 11.1 rebounds per game.
“Angel Reese gotta get DPOY this year she really be clamping up 1-5,” wrote another fan.
On top of the rebounds, Reese had five blocks combined against Chicago and Connecticut and two steals as well against her former team. Moreover, she is third in the WNBA in steals per game (1.8).
“5 blks and 3 steals in the last two games Dpoy her,” commented a fan.
The Dream forward has the best defensive rating differential in the entire WNBA (-15.1). It’s highly likely that Reese is on her way to becoming the DPOY.
“MAY INTRODUCE YOU TO YOUR DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR” commented another fan.
Another fan pointed out that Reese’s consistency has been top-notch. After a successful WC run in Berlin, the 24-year-old will have a huge shot at the WNBA title with the playoffs approaching.
“Man she has been locked in. If she keeps this up, she might get a ring to go with that gold medal. Love the passion and hard work,” they wrote.
Reese will look forward to stepping up for Atlanta in the postseason and getting her hands on the WNBA title for the first time.
Written by
Avishek Sarkar