Key Takeaways
- Angel Reese won the 2026 WNBA Kia Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Atlanta Dream player to earn the honor.
- Reese posted 3.39 Defensive Win Shares, a 100.0 defensive rating and 7.3 defensive rebounds per game while reaching 500 rebounds.
- The Dream advanced past the Washington Mystics and will face the New York Liberty at State Farm Arena in the semifinal opener on Sunday (Oct. 4).
Angel Reese has been named the 2026 WNBA Kia Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Thursday (Oct. 1). Putting the finishing touch on an already incredible first season with the Atlanta Dream, the forward became the first player in franchise history to walk away with the defensive honor.
To mark the occasion, she enlisted none other than Latto to narrate her celebratory video. “You know she in Atlanta now, and she came locking s**t down. One through five. Don’t matter who,” Big Mama said over a black-and-white montage of Reese on the court. “You dribble in front, she’ll steal it from you. You think you got it back? She’ll block that, too.”
The “Put It On Da Floor” rapper continued, “They talking ‘bout an eye test. Baby, she passed that too. And if you still can’t see it, numbers don’t lie. Angel Reese, yeah. That’s my Defensive Player of the Year.” Watch the video below, then keep scrolling to see what the WNBA star had to say about the achievement herself.
Angel Reese credits her teammates after winning 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
“I have the trophy, but I definitely want Jordin [Canada] and Rhyne [Howard] to sign it because I think they deserve it just as much as I do," Reese said in a press statement. "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.”
According to the WNBA, Reese led the league in Defensive Win Shares (3.39) during the regular season while finishing fourth with a 100.0 defensive rating. She also ranked fourth in the W with 7.3 defensive rebounds per game, with the ATL Barbie notably making history as the first player ever to reach 500 rebounds in a single season.
What’s next for Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA playoffs
While plenty of players would be satisfied closing out the regular season with a record as impressive as Reese’s, she and the Atlanta Dream still have quite a ways to go. On Wednesday (Sept. 30), they took down the Washington Mystics 93-75 in Game 2 of their first-round WNBA playoff series. Next, they’ll welcome the New York Liberty to State Farm Arena on Sunday (Oct. 4) for the opening game of the semifinals.