Angel Reese’s First WNBA Finals: Can the Dream’s Defensive Star Deliver Against the Valkyries?

Angel Reese WNBA Finals debut arrives with the Atlanta Dream facing the Golden State Valkyries, and the stakes could hardly be higher for a player who has already reshaped her team’s ceiling in a single season. Traded to Atlanta in the offseason, Reese has turned her first year with the Dream into a Defensive Player of the Year campaign, a first for the franchise, and now a first playoff run that has carried Atlanta to the championship series.

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From Trade Acquisition to Defensive Anchor

Reese’s arrival gave the Dream a relentless rebounder and a defensive presence that opposing offenses have struggled to solve. That impact was recognized with the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year award, making her the first Atlanta player to win the honor. Her postseason performance has been equally strong despite this being her first playoffs, a testament to how quickly she has adapted to the increased pressure and physicality of the WNBA’s second season.

Predicting Reese's Finals Impact

Against the Valkyries, Reese’s regular-season track record offers a promising blueprint. In three games versus Golden State, she averaged a double-double, and her ability to control the glass could be decisive against a team that boasted the best defense in the 2025 playoffs. Expect Reese to finish the Finals with around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, a line that would put her in rare company and give Atlanta the interior production it needs to counter Golden State’s defensive scheme.

The 3-Point Factor

Perhaps the most intriguing development in Reese’s game this season has been her perimeter shooting. After barely attempting 3-pointers in her first two WNBA seasons, Reese was given a green light by head coach Karl Smesko and grew more comfortable taking those shots as the year progressed. She hit at least one 3-pointer in every semifinal game against the New York Liberty, and that range has opened up Atlanta’s offense. Opponents still sag off her on the perimeter, but if she continues to knock down outside shots, she could average two 3-pointers per game in the Finals. That spacing will be critical against a Valkyries defense that has yet to face the Dream in the playoffs.

Finals MVP and Franchise History

If the Dream win the title, Reese could become the first Atlanta player ever to win Finals MVP. No Dream player has captured the award, and her two-way dominance makes her a leading candidate should Atlanta prevail. The Dream scored the most points per game in the 2025 playoffs, a high-scoring offense that contrasts sharply with Golden State’s top-ranked defense. Atlanta can win if they play their style, and Reese’s ability to control the paint and stretch the floor will determine whether that style translates into a championship.

Reese’s first Finals appearance is already a milestone. Whether it ends with a ring and a historic MVP award will depend on how well she and the Dream impose their will on the Valkyries.