Angel Reese named 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, takes aim at Sky

The Atlanta Dream forward said she 'didn't have the opportunity' to show her ability in two seasons with the Chicago Sky after being named 2026 Defensive Player of the Year.

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese has been named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and she used the moment to speak bluntly about her former club, the Chicago Sky. The honor was announced just before Atlanta opened its semifinal series in the WNBA Playoffs, and Reese was presented with the trophy in connection with Game 1.

The 24-year-old did not wait long to show why she had earned the recognition. Handed the trophy ahead of the opener, she turned in a dominant performance on the night as the Dream won Game 1 92-82, giving Atlanta the early lead in the semifinal series as the club chases a place in the next round.

Reese entered the WNBA in 2024 as one of the most heralded prospects the women's game had seen in years. The Sky chose her with the seventh overall pick in that draft, and she spent her first two professional seasons in Chicago before joining Atlanta. The Defensive Player of the Year award is the first major individual honor of her career.

Her run in Chicago produced personal accolades but little team success. Reese was selected as an All-Star in each of her first two seasons, yet the Sky failed to reach the playoffs in either campaign. Her offensive game drew repeated criticism around the league, and there were also reports of trouble behind the scenes with the franchise.

Taking the podium after receiving the award, Reese indicated that her two years in Chicago never allowed her to reveal the player she believed she could be. "I knew who I was going to be coming into the league. Obviously, I didn't have the opportunity to do that in the past two years," Reese said.

She pointed to her new environment in Atlanta as the difference, citing both the expectations placed on her and the people around her. "Being able to come here to Atlanta, I knew what I was expected (to do); I knew that I was gonna be put on a pedestal of being able to play with great players… Being able to be here in Atlanta, just really grateful to have sisters in the locker room that genuinely care about me," she said.

The gulf between the two organizations has only widened this year. Chicago finished the season 16-28 and fell well short of a playoff berth, while the player it drafted two years ago is now starring in the postseason and holding the league's top defensive prize in her first campaign with another team.

For the Dream, attention returns to the semifinals, where they hold a 1-0 advantage and will look to advance behind the newly crowned award winner. For Reese, the recognition marks a swift reversal after a Chicago tenure she clearly felt limited her.