About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angel Reese has a chance this Saturday night to not only lead the Atlanta Dream to win their first WNBA title, but to cement her status as one of the all-time greats of her generation.
Reese, the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, has truly elevated her play in the postseason, averaging 16.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game for the Dream. In Game 6, she set the all-time record for most rebounds (78) in a WNBA Finals, shattering a record previously held by Sylvia Fowles.
Now, Reese finds herself one win away from adding a WNBA title and perhaps a Finals MVP to a résumé that already includes three All-Star appearances, a NCAA championship, and countless SEC awards.
Nick Wright of FS1's "First Things First" believes Reese could cement her status as the second-best player in the WNBA with a title.
"If Angel Reese was going to have her status as a player stay at the level of her status as a celebrity she needed to get better," Wright said. "Well, this year that changed considerably. She's been phenomenal. Angel Reese's performance this playoffs gives her the opportunity to be a step behind A'ja Wilson as the top player in the sport."
Oct 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reacts after a play against the Golden State Valkyries in the second quarter during game six of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesBrett Davis-Imagn Images.
Wright isn't the only analyst who believes Reese has a chance to cement her legacy with a championship this Saturday night.
"A win, plus Finals MVP, changes Angel Reese's legacy forever," former Fox Sports host Emmanuel Acho said, via College Sports Network. "It does not matter what Angel Reese does the rest of her career. And in all honesty, if Angel retired the moment after she won, it would exponentially boost her resume greater than anything she did moving forward."
"A legacy will be solidified in this Game 7. If Angel Reese and the Dream can pull this off, it's gonna go down as an all-time run for Angel," Noa Dalzell of WNBA on CLNS said. "If the Valkyries are to pull this off, it's going to be an unreal narrative…It's gonna be a perfect ending regardless if you're a basketball fan like me with no vested interest in either team."
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Reese said she's going to empty the tank for Game 7.
"You're going to have to peel me off the court. I want to be so tired," Reese said, via ESPN. "Like, I want to just be able to give everything"
Game 7 of the WNBA Finals will begin at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Oct 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: Sports
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