Angel Reese Wins 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year After Historic First Season in Atlanta
Angel Reese has added another major accomplishment to her third WNBA season, becoming the 2026 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and the first player in Atlanta Dream history to win the award.
The award was announced Thursday, one day after Reese helped the Dream sweep the Washington Mystics and advance to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since 2018. Reese received 46 of 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams received 20 votes, while Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson received four.
Reese made an immediate impact in her first season with Atlanta after joining the Dream in an offseason trade with the Chicago Sky. She averaged a career-high 16.4 points and a league-leading 12.1 rebounds per game over 43 starts. She also averaged 1.8 steals per game, ranking among the league leaders.
Her rebounding became one of the defining parts of her defensive impact. Reese finished the season with a WNBA-record 521 total rebounds and recorded 32 double-doubles, another league record. She also led the league in defensive win shares with 3.4.
Her defensive production helped Atlanta establish itself as one of the league's strongest defensive teams. The Dream finished near the top of the league in defensive rating and points allowed per game, contributing to a 30-14 regular-season record and the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Reese became emotional when her mother, Angel Webb Reese, surprised her with the news of the award. Her mother congratulated her and expressed pride in what she had accomplished during her first season in Atlanta.
Reese then thanked her teammates, coaches and the Dream organization for supporting her throughout the season. She also credited teammates Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard for their defensive contributions and said she wanted them to sign the trophy.
The award comes during a historic season for both Reese and Atlanta. The Dream tied their franchise record with 30 regular-season victories before sweeping Washington in the opening round of the playoffs.
Atlanta will now turn its attention to the semifinals, where the Dream are scheduled to face the New York Liberty.
