Angel Reese will make her official debut for the Atlanta Dream when they visit the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday night in Minneapolis. Just over a month ago, Reese was traded from the Chicago Sky. She appeared in two preseason games with her new team, but the two-time All-Star and rebounding specialist will now play her first regular-season contest in a Dream uniform.
“How could you not be happy here?” Reese told ESPN about Atlanta. “It just feels great. I always wanted to come to Atlanta. When you think of championship culture, playing next to these players, the coach (Karl Smesko), it just made sense.”
In her second WNBA season, Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. However, her tenure in Chicago ended poorly after the Sky suspended her for half a game due to “statements detrimental to the team,” for which she later apologized. She then missed the final few games of the season, citing back issues.
League executives were impressed by the move. In a preseason survey of the 15 general managers, the Dream were ranked as the third favorite to win the championship, behind only the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. Atlanta has yet to win a title. The Dream’s backcourt already features All-Stars Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard.
Minnesota has been a playoff contender for the past two seasons, but they begin the 2026 campaign without their star, Napheesa Collier, who is recovering from offseason ankle surgery and is expected to return in June. Until then, the spotlight falls on rookie Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick.
Miles had an outstanding college career at Notre Dame and TCU, averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 139 games. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said on draft night that Miles is “the first real point guard we’ve had since Lindsay Whalen,” the franchise icon who retired after the 2018 season.
That is high praise. Fortunately for Miles, she can learn directly from Whalen, who joined the coaching staff before the 2025 season. “She played on the dynasty team with Maya Moore, Seimone (Augustus) and all those greats,” Miles told reporters. “I can’t wait to just be a sponge and just ask questions and be open-minded and be coachable.”
