Angel Reese honors her mom after Dream win
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese celebrated reaching the 2026 WNBA Finals after her team defeated the New York Liberty 85-83 on October 9. The semifinal victory came at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Reese recorded 22 points and nine rebounds as Atlanta completed a 3-0 series sweep. Rhyne Howard contributed 21, while Jordin Canada added 19 alongside 11 assists in the deciding playoff game.
Angel Reese credits her mother’s hard work
Angel Reese described how her mother raised her and her younger brother, Julian, as a single parent. She also acknowledged that their grandparents provided help throughout the family’s childhood years in Maryland.
Speaking after Atlanta reached the Finals, Reese said she wanted to repay her mother for years of care. Having her attend games and share the experience was enough: “That’s all I ask for.”
Angel Webb Reese shares a courtside celebration
Angel Reese embraced her mother beside the court after Atlanta secured its Finals place on October 9. Cameras also captured the pair exchanging a coordinated handshake during their celebration in Brooklyn, New York.
Videos posted online on October 10 documented the courtside greeting and a separate interview with Reese. The clips showed the physical celebration and her explanation of how her mother supported her career.
Angel Webb Reese earned honors at UMBC
Angel Webb Reese played basketball at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, from 1988 through 1992. The forward earned the school’s Female Athlete of the Year award after her final collegiate season.
During the 1991-92 season, Webb averaged 13.2 rebounds per game and earned first-team All-East Coast Conference recognition. She finished her college career with 1,390 points, 932 total boards, and 132 blocks.
Angel Reese learned basketball from her mom
Angel Reese began learning basketball while accompanying her mother to youth team practices near their Maryland home. As a child, she dribbled beside the court and watched the older players train.
By age five, Reese had joined the same youth league where her mother coached. She also tried ballet and gymnastics before settling on basketball as her preferred activity during those early years.
Angel Reese grew up competing with Julian
Angel Reese and her younger brother Julian regularly challenged each other during childhood games in Maryland. Their driveway basketball contests became so competitive that their mother eventually removed the family’s hoop.
The siblings later attended the University of Maryland and played for separate Terrapins teams. Angel joined the women’s basketball program, while Julian competed for the men’s squad during their time in College Park.
Angel Reese chose number 10 for her mom
Angel Reese selected jersey number 10 to continue a family basketball tradition. Her mother wore it during college at UMBC, and her younger brother Julian used it for Maryland’s men’s basketball team.
Reese wore a different jersey number during her first 13 games at LSU in the 2022-23 season. She switched to 10 when it became available just before Southeastern Conference play began.
Angel Reese paid off her mother’s mortgage
Angel Reese surprised her mother during a birthday episode of her online show, Unapologetically Angel, on January 30, 2025. She announced that she had paid off the remaining mortgage on her mother’s home.
Her mother had spoken about wanting to retire once that housing debt was cleared. During the recording, the basketball player presented a birthday cake before revealing the gift, visibly surprising Angel Webb-Reese.
Angel Reese developed at St. Frances
Angel Reese attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, where she helped win three consecutive IAAM basketball championships. Her high school averages included 18 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists per game.
Reese earned McDonald’s All-American recognition in 2020 and received Maryland Player of the Year honors during her junior and senior years. Trainer Jimmy Price also led early morning basketball sessions with her before school.
Angel Reese won LSU’s 2023 national title
Angel Reese helped LSU capture its first women’s basketball national championship in April 2023. During the title game against Iowa in Dallas, she contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds to the Tigers’ victory.
Throughout that season, Reese averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds, leading the Southeastern Conference in both categories. She recorded 34 double-doubles, setting an NCAA record, and grabbed 555 boards across the year.
Fun fact: Angel Reese and her mom share the same name. In 2023, her mother received dating requests from men who mistakenly thought they were messaging her daughter.
Angel Reese moved from Chicago to Atlanta
Chicago selected Angel Reese seventh overall in the 2024 WNBA draft. Across 64 regular-season appearances with the Sky over two seasons, she averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds before joining Atlanta.
The Dream acquired Reese on April 6, 2026, sending Chicago first-round draft picks for 2027 and 2028. Atlanta also received the right to exchange second-round selections with the Sky in that later year.
Angel Reese set 2026 rebounding records
Angel Reese won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award on October 1, 2026. She received 46 votes from 74 sportswriters and broadcasters, becoming Atlanta’s first recipient of that honor.
Her regular season included WNBA records of 521 total rebounds, 206 offensive boards, and 32 double-doubles. Reese also grabbed 26 rebounds against the Los Angeles Sparks on August 24, setting another league record.
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Angel Reese prepares for Golden State
Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are scheduled to face the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA Finals. Game 1 is set for October 17 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The best-of-seven series matches second-seeded Golden State, which finished 32-12, against fourth-seeded Atlanta, which finished 30-14. Neither franchise has won a WNBA championship, although the Dream previously reached the Finals three separate times.
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What does Angel Reese’s courtside celebration with her mother say about the importance of family support? Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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