Angel Reese has everything it takes to become a superstar in the WNBA. She has a decorated college career, highlighted by leading Louisiana State University to a national championship in 2023. She has a larger-than-life personality that has led to a multitude of brand deals, red-carpet appearances and millions of social media followers — making the “Bayou Barbie” one of the most popular figures in sports.
Though the former Chicago Sky forward has already earned two All-Star appearances and led the WNBA in rebounding and double-doubles last season, the debate over whether her on-court stardom can match her off-court fame has persisted through her two years in the league.
The conversation will only grow after Reese was recently traded to the Atlanta Dream for two first-round picks. The blockbuster trade wasn’t a shock, as Reese publicly stated her intentions to leave the Sky in the offseason provided their roster didn’t improve. Even though Reese retracted the comment the next day and apologized, the message was clear: She wanted to win, in Chicago or elsewhere. The Sky finished the season tied for the worst record in the league at 10-34.
Now, Reese finds herself on a Dream team that finished 30-14, tied for second-best in the WNBA last season, and enters 2026 with championship expectations. The change of scenery comes with one question — is Angel Reese ready for prime time?
On the surface, the answer seems like a resounding yes. Reese is already one of the WNBA’s premier paint scorers at a young age, and joining forces with the Dream’s All-Star guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray could form an unstoppable scoring trio.
Add last season’s Sixth Player of the Year, forward Naz Hillmon, and guard Te-Hina Paopao, and the Dream have an exciting young core ready to build on the team’s highest win total in franchise history last season. The city will be clamoring for Reese and company to secure the team’s first championship.
But the doubters will persist, and Angel Reese has plenty of them. They will point to her shooting just 18% from three-point range and averaging the second-most turnovers in the WNBA last season as proof that she is still severely limited as an offensive player and can’t anchor a winning offense.
If the Dream stumble out of the gate and Reese struggles to adapt to her new team, detractors will continue to claim that her stardom is dictated more by her endorsement deals — and her highly-publicized rivalry with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark — rather than her on-court play. Her public comments about the Sky’s lack of talent around her will be used as an example of arrogance and a misplaced focus on being the star of the show rather than a commitment to winning.
But the detractors will always be there — even LeBron James has critics. The trade and change of scenery make Reese’s upcoming season even more intriguing and pivotal to her long-term outlook.
In Chicago, she was the lone star on a roster that lacked any hope outside of her offensive production. Now in Atlanta, she’s surrounded by All-Stars and entering her third season — a year that’s often marked by rising stars breaking out and establishing themselves — on a squad she is expected to boost from a playoff team to a title contender.
Angel Reese has always operated like she’s the next big thing in women’s basketball. Now on the Dream, it’s time for her to prove it.