On October 10, 2025, Angel Reese quite literally “manifested” a WNBA Finals appearance after failing to qualify for the playoffs with the Chicago Sky for the second time. Stuck watching the Aces take on the Mercury from home, she could only wish she were the one chasing glory alongside her teammates.
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Almost a year later, her wish came true as she led her new team, the Atlanta Dream, to their first WNBA Finals appearance in 13 years. They achieved the milestone by sweeping a highly experienced New York Liberty side. Such an occasion called for a celebration, and Reese made sure her teammates got one, too.
Reese and her teammates celebrated the occasion in New York City itself, almost rubbing salt in the Liberty’s wounds, according to Page Six. The Dream headed to Sei Less restaurant after the game ended 85-83 in their favor on 9th October, and judging by how Reese organized the event, it’s safe to say that the Bayou Barbie didn’t have a budget.
The 24-year-old reportedly booked an entire private room, where she and her teammates blasted music while singing and dancing the night away. Meanwhile, the food was on a similar grand scale, as the finalists dined on king crab legs, lobster spoons, oxtail spring rolls, chicken satay, short rib, shrimp dumplings, to name a few. Talk about a dream meal.
Considering that Reese and the rest of the Dream left the venue at around 3:30 am, they enjoyed their victory celebration to the fullest. They also left a generous tip to the restaurant staff for keeping the doors open for them so late at night.
“Angel was just exhilarated to be sharing the moment with her teammates. She and her teammates were just living in the moment and grasping the reality of being in the Finals and in position to win a title,” a source told Page Six.
That said, this was not the only event Reese enjoyed with her teammates after their massive victory at the Barclays Center.
On Sunday, the Dream were field-side at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as the Falcons hosted the Baltimore Ravens. The Dream were celebrated for reaching the WNBA Finals and even showed off the custom jerseys they received. To add to the occasion, Reese showed off some arm strength to the crowd.
From having locker room friction with the Chicago Sky to celebrating her first WNBA Finals appearance with her teammates, Reese has come a long way in just a year, and she has been highly appreciative of the franchise and her teammates for welcoming her and unlocking her hidden potential.
“I manifested this. When I came to Atlanta, I knew that I was getting,” Reese said after the series was over in Barclays Center. “This team has poured so much into me. We poured so much into each other. I posted and tweeted [on] 10/10/25 that I was manifesting the Finals and this is my moment. I’m supposed to be here. I thank God for this moment. And I’m just so thankful.”
The Dream needed Reese the same way she needed them. Head coach Karl Smesko’s side finished with the same 30-14 record last season. However, they were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Fever. It felt like the Dream hit its quality ceiling until the former LSU Tigers forward showed up.
Reese quickly became the missing piece in Smesko’s team, just as he had predicted before the season.
She anchored the Dream’s defense, winning the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award while averaging 12.1 rebounds per game. Her presence in the paint also opened up shots for Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada.
From setting the WNBA’s single-game rebounding record with 26 boards to becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 1,000 rebounds, Reese has enjoyed a landmark season. She is also averaging 18 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game in the postseason.
While reaching the WNBA Finals is obviously a huge accomplishment, especially considering where Reese came from, one must think whether celebrating without having the trophy in your hand is premature. However, the Bayou Barbie is aware of that already, as she immediately expressed that there is more work to do after sweeping the Liberty.
Angel Reese knows that the battle is won and not the war
After the Dream’s Game 3 win over the Liberty, Reese took to the postgame press conference, where she expressed happiness about reaching the WNBA Finals but quickly acknowledged the team still has work to do.
“The job is not done. We’re definitely happy about where we are right now, but we’re not satisfied. I think we just continue to push every single day, get back to work,” Reese said.
“But yeah, we’re going to enjoy this moment tonight. We can’t shy away from knowing that we did put a lot of work to get to this moment. I’m really proud of this group.” Reese added.
Reese’s “job is not done” comment was highly reminiscent of the legendary Kobe Bryant’s words back in the 2009 NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead against the Orlando Magic, but Kobe’s stern expression at the postgame press conference felt like he was on the other side of the tie.
When asked by a reporter whether he is unhappy to be in this situation, the Lakers legend replied,
“What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished. Job’s finished? I don’t think so.”
Now that the Dream are in the WNBA Finals, it will be interesting to see if Reese can take her game to another level. She has already won the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year award, receiving 46 of the 74 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The only player to come close to challenging her was Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries, who received 20 votes. Williams will now face Reese in the WNBA Finals, adding another layer of intrigue to the matchup.
The Dream have never won a WNBA title, having lost all three of their previous Finals appearances, the last of which came in 2013. Meanwhile, the Valkyries are looking to make history by winning a championship in just their second season as an expansion team. It’s a matchup that promises plenty of excitement.