Angel Reese Is Going to the Finals. How Long Are We Gonna Pretend She Can't Play?

Angel Reese scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Atlanta beat New York 85–83 to complete a 3–0 semifinal sweep. The Dream are in the Finals for the first time since 2013. That's the result. No internet debate can change it.

I've never understood why evaluating Reese has to turn into choosing sides. You can criticize her efficiency or parts of her offensive game and still acknowledge that she is an important player on a winning team. Both things can be true.

She was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Atlanta needed her scoring with Allisha Gray sidelined. Rhyne Howard scored 21 and Jordin Canada scored 19. This was a team effort, not one person carrying a franchise, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise.

CORRECTION — October 10, 2026: An earlier version credited Jordin Canada with 11 assists in the series-clinching win. That assist number was not supported by the official game recap and has been removed. Her 19 points and Atlanta’s 85–83 win are corroborated by the WNBA’s official reporting.

What interests me is whether the conversation about her can mature. When a player develops, the criticism should develop too. If somebody is still repeating the exact same jokes after the facts change, are they watching basketball or defending an opinion they already made?