Right before the start of the season, the Atlanta Dream pulled off one of the most surprising transactions in recent WNBA history.
Acquiring former Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was somewhat surprising, but she’s been a seamless fit in their system.
Watching a young and struggling team like the Sky give up on a potential star just after two years was a bit shocking.
That’s why, after a couple of months to process everything, Reese finally shared her side of the story before the game vs. the Dallas Wings, explaining why she actually wanted to play for the Dream.
Angel Reese wanted to play for Karl Smesko
“Looking at last year and the success they had under one year with Karl [Smesko],” Reese told the media (h/t Meghan L. Hall). “I watched Karl when he was with FGCU, and when I was at Maryland, I played against him. I was just seeing how the player development was for him and how he developed Naz [Hillmon] in one year, and how I wanted that.”
The Dream took a big leap last season under Smesko. Brionna Jones and Hillmon made big strides as three-level scorers, and now that they’ve acquired one of the best rebounders the game has ever seen, this team should be a force to be reckoned with.
“Just being able to find somewhere that fits with me. I knew off the court this was going to be the place for me. On the court, I wanted to do something to help a team get to the championship because I’ve won at every level, and I want to win a WNBA championship no matter what it looks like for me,” added Reese.
Reese clearly still needs to work on multiple aspects of her game, especially finishing and her handles, so playing for a coach with a knack for player development can work wonders for her.
Still, even with some glaring holes in her game, she’s a dominant interior presence, a physical rebounder and one of the most versatile defensive players in the game.
Even if she never develops a consistent layup package or finishing skills, her defensive prowess will still make her a valuable asset on the court.