In the second half of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese went scoreless after a strong start. Following the narrow 68-64 loss, Reese said that she needs to be more aggressive. Here we are, Game 2, and Reese became the youngest player in WNBA history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a postseason game. The 24-year-old is playing in her first WNBA Finals, but it sure does not feel like it, all things considered. With that said, WNBA writer and podcaster Jordin Robinson has suggested why this is the case with the Bayou Barbie.

“Angel Reese is a gamer. She wants to win this ring, and she’s won at LSU. She’s won in high school. She’s won in AAU, like she’s won at every level. And this is where she’s comfortable.” Robinson said in her appearance on The Athletic LIVE, via X.

Angel Reese is just in her third year as a pro, but the player before that was already legendary in her own right. Before earning the title of Defensive Player of the Year and powering the Dream to their first WNBA Finals in 13 years, Reese was already a serial winner wherever she went.

Her journey to greatness began at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, where she propelled her team to four consecutive Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) A Conference titles. Reese became a high school great, finishing her career with 1,720 points and 1,250 rebounds. But that was not all her accolades in her high school era. During her junior season, she was part of Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit. There, she led her team to a championship after scoring 18 points and 11 rebounds in a 57–47 win over All Iowa Attack in the final.

Her transfer from the University of Maryland to the LSU Tigers is probably as important as her trade to the Atlanta Dream from the Chicago Sky ahead of this season. Under head coach Kim Mulkey, Reese won the 2023 national championship after defeating Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the final. She recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the 102-85 victory and earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year award.

Moving on to Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, Reese’s Rose BC won the first-ever Unrivaled championship. While the Bayou Barbie did not take part in the final, she was awarded the tournament’s Defensive Player of the Year. Internationally, Reese’s career has been short but sweet, as she recently won the gold medal with Team USA in the FIBA Women’s World Cup.

Clearly, Reese has a knack for winning the biggest trophies the game has to offer, and she has reflected that same hunger of winning the WNBA championship throughout the playoffs. In seven games, she is averaging 19.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks, according to StatMuse.

“Not only is she just a winner, but she has found a way to be a true professional in the WNBA. Because when you come from college, you’re trying to figure your way out in rookie season, but she had so many eyes on her. There’s so many people saying negative things about her, and she had to fight through so much adversity just to get to this point.” Las Vegas Aces Studio Host Gianna Hearn added.

Before all her success with the Dream, Reese was sitting in the bottom of the table for her first two seasons with the Sky, who recorded 13-27 in 2024 and 10-34 in 2025, missing the playoffs twice. While Reese was still the best the team had to offer, she publicly and privately criticized the Sky’s direction after the team suffered through losing seasons. She was also suspended for half a game against the Las Vegas Aces on September 7 last year for public statements “detrimental to the team” made during an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

But even back then, Reese’s desire of getting back to the top was highly noticeable. On October 10, 2025, when the Las Vegas Aces were facing the Phoenix Mercury for the WNBA championship, Reese took to X and posted “Manifesting the finals>>>”. That post currently has 2.5 million views and 16,000 likes. Despite being in an unfavorable situation back then, the 24-year-old was the first person to have faith in herself. And sure enough, 364 days later, her “dream” came true with Atlanta.

“Them wanting me in Atlanta and being able to push me every day to help me get to this very moment it’s really a shout out to them. I manifest a lot of things. I think it’s important to speak positives into your life, into your team. But this is all God. I’m just so thankful and blessed to be able to be in a situation a lot of people wish they were here and I’m not gonna take this moment for granted. I’m here for a reason, we’re all here for a reason.” Reese said in a press conference after reaching the WNBA Finals.

The pattern we are seeing here is that Angel Reese talks the talk and walks the walk. With 30 points and 16 rebounds in a must-win WNBA Finals game at one of the loudest stadiums in the league, the Bayou Barbie is once again proving that she belongs in the biggest stage. Should she continue with this momentum, Reese has the opportunity to become the third player after Tamika Catchings (2012) and A’ja Wilson (2023, 2025) to win both the DPOY and Finals MVP award in the same season.

Still, there are five more games to play if the series comes d0wn to that, and now it is all about trying to widen the gap in Games 3 and 4, as Reese and the Dream play at a venue they have never lost in, the State Farm Arena on October 21 and 24.