May 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates a basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
May 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) celebrates a basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese has just achieved a tremendous accolade in rebounding that is now comparable to that of Shaquille O'Neal.
The rebounding feat that has been the buzz of the town is that Reese is now the fastest WNBA or NBA player to reach a total of 900 rebounds, having done that in just 71 games. This makes her the fastest to reach this number since O'Neal, who reached the mark in 66 games in his rookie 1992-93 season.
The quickest players to hit the mark since O'Neal were Tim Duncan (76 games, 1998) and Blake Griffin (75 games, 2011). Not only did Angel Reese surpass those two, but just on the WNBA front, she became the fastest player in history to reach 900+ points and 900+ rebounds, accomplishing both feats in the same number of games.
Sep 24, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings minority owner Shaquille O'Neal answers questions from the media during a press conference at Kings Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings minority owner Shaquille O'Neal answers questions from the media during a press conference at Kings Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
These achievements came on Friday when Reese scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds against the Portland Fire. The Atlanta Dream won the game 86-66 in a dominating fashion.
"Rebounds are something that I can always rely on, no matter how the game is going," Reese said. "I knew tonight that I was gonna get a lot of offensive rebounds, and I think last game I didn’t do a great job getting offensive rebounds or even defensive rebounds."
She already has 77 rebounds to her name this season, and this game also marked her fourth double-double of this season and 53rd overall. This is another mind-boggling stat in itself, with Reese achieving double-doubles in 74.6% of her games.
Shaquille O'Neal, who signed Reese to Reebok when she was at LSU, has been a mentor to her and has defended her from ongoing criticism since she arrived in the WNBA.
Shaquille O'Neal on Angel Reese And What's Next For Her
O'Neal recently appeared as a guest on "The Rich Eisen Show" on May 26, and was asked about Angel Reese and Lauren Betts, a player that he also signed to Reebok.
"I wish I could punch some of these guys in the face that just pick on my Angel and pick on my Lauren," he said. "But I have to be professional… because enough is enough."
He once again defended Reese along with Betts, showcasing just how much he admires Reese and supports her. Such appreciation from one of the best NBA Centers will absolutely give Reese a boost.
The Atlanta Dream, on a 5-2 run, will play its next game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. The Sun are having a poor start to the season, with a 2-8 record.
This is the first time both teams will be against each other this season. Angel Reese will look to continue building on her solid averages of 13.1 points, 11 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one block per game.
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Written by
Dhruv Singh
Edited by
Yask Kotak