Reese brings WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honor to Atlanta
Angel Reese (Courtesy of the Atlanta Dream)
ATLANTA - Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese earned the 2026 WNBA Kia Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday, becoming the first player in team history to receive the honor.
What we know:
Reese established herself as a elite defender during her first season with the Dream, anchoring one of the top defensive units in the WNBA.
She finished the regular season leading the league in Defensive Win Shares with 3.39 and ranked fourth in defensive rating at 100.0. Atlanta allowed 7.9 fewer points per 100 possessions with Reese on the floor, marking the largest defensive on-and-off differential among Dream rotation players.
Reese ranked fourth in the WNBA with 7.3 defensive rebounds per game, helping Atlanta limit opponents to a league-low 9.5 second-chance points per game.
Her efforts on the defensive glass contributed to a historic season where she became the first WNBA player to record 500 rebounds in a single season.
Alongside teammates Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada, who finished first and second in steals per game while Reese finished third, the trio formed a disruptive defensive presence across the league.
By the numbers:
Reese set WNBA single-season records for total rebounds, offensive rebounds and double-doubles, alongside the single-game rebounding record with 26 rebounds.
She earned WNBA Peak Performer honors as the league's top rebounder and became the first player in Dream history named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in three consecutive weeks.
Reese also earned a selection to her third consecutive WNBA All-Star Game and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
"I have the trophy, but I definitely want Jordin and Rhyne to sign it because I think they deserve it just as much as I do," Reese said. "I'm grateful for Atlanta, I'm grateful for my teammates and my coaches and all the supporting staff that supports us. This is just the beginning."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Atlanta Dream, who issued a team press release announcing the postseason award.