Angel Reese posts 8 points and 7 rebounds in her Dream debut as Atlanta defeats the Chicago Sky 87-78 in the WNBA season opener.
Angel Reese played her first game in an Atlanta Dream uniform at Wintrust Arena — the building she called home for two years — in an 87-78 win against the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night.
Reese, facing her former team, ended the night with eight points, seven rebounds, and three steals. She shot 2-of-7 from the field and went 4-of-8 from the free-throw line in under 13 minutes of action.
Te-Hina Paopao and Isobel Borlase scored 13 points apiece to lead Atlanta. Madina Okot added 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, and Sika Kone finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
Atlanta led 25-17 after the first quarter and extended the margin to 43-30 at halftime. Chicago closed the gap with a 28-point third quarter, but Atlanta held it off by outscoring the Sky 23-20 in the fourth.
"As you'd expect in an exhibition, there were a lot of good things, but also a lot that needs to be cleaned up," Dream head coach Karl Smesko said. "That’s why these games are important—you go against a team doing different things, then you watch film and make corrections. I thought we saw some strong individual performances and got a chance to evaluate different lineups. It’s a small sample size, but helpful in deciding what we want to see more of next game."
Smesko said Reese was active throughout her minutes.
"Angel’s impact was felt on nearly every possession. She was active defensively with steals and deflections, contributed on the boards, and was willing to shoot from outside and attack off the dribble," Smesko said. "It was a great start for her as she gets more comfortable in our system."
Reese said the transition to Atlanta has felt natural.
"Just gratitude. I’m thankful for the opportunities I had before and happy to be here now," Reese said. "The transition has felt seamless. My teammates and coaches have given me confidence, encouraging me to take shots I might not always feel comfortable taking. That support means a lot."
She remains focused on using every practice and game rep to improve as the regular season nears.
"I’m just happy to be part of the Dream and to get a win," Reese said. "Even in preseason, we want to win, but it’s also about improving every day. We focus on being the best at getting better, especially with how quickly the season is approaching."
Sydney Taylor scored 23 points off the bench to lead Chicago. Rachel Banham, Rickea Jackson and Tonie Morgan each added nine.
Atlanta held a 39-32 rebounding advantage and outscored Chicago 38-28 in the paint, while also finishing with a 13-5 edge in second-chance points.