Angel Reese has been hit with a $500 WNBA fine after her familiar issue with committing technical fouls has followed her to the Atlanta Dream.
Reese, 24, headed to Atlanta for a fresh start after playing her first two WNBA seasons in Chicago with the Sky. The Dream parted ways with two first-round WNBA Draft picks in 2027 and 2028 to secure Reese and revamp their team ahead of the 2026 season.
So far, Reese is averaging 13.1 points and 11 rebounds per game. But it hasn’t entirely been plain sailing for Reese in the 5-2 Dream. Reese was “dominated” in the Dream’s defeat to the Minnesota Lynx.
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However, Reese got back to her usual self as the Dream got back to winning ways with an 86-66 win over the Portland Fire.
Reese scored 18 points, registered 12 rebounds, and had five assists. While her overall play was standout for the Dream, Reese’s recurring problem of committing technical fouls continued.
Reese was initially called for a loose-ball foul on Megan Gustafson after her left arm made contact with the Fire center’s neck and face. Frustrated with the decision, the Dream star turned toward the referee and waved him off, prompting a technical foul for the gesture.
Reese is aiming for WNBA glory with the Dream -Credit:Getty
Under WNBA rules, a player is fined $500 for each of their first three technical fouls, with Reese’s latest incident her third of the 2026 season. Technical fouls from four through seven carry a $1,000 fine, while every additional one results in a $1,500 fine.
In recent games, coach challenges have also bailed Reese out from some personal fouls. Reese had two calls go against her in the two games before traveling to Portland.
“Well, it’s tough because, I mean, at that point, we had gotten back in the game in the first half,” head coach Karl Smesko said. “And if you lose a challenge, you don’t have it for the rest of the game. So, you know, you trust your player. But it also has to be conclusive on video. You want to make sure that on video, it’s something that the officials will be able to overturn.
“And our assistants gave good advice this time. They got to see it on the video and thought it would be overturned, so we went with it. And fortunately, we got that one overturned.”
Reese’s winning mentality
The former LSU star’s exit from the Sky was driven by her desire to win. The Sky missed out on two consecutive WNBA playoff births despite Reese’s significant offensive and defensive output.
Reese became a two-time WNBA All-Star, but a public falling out with the franchise toward the end of last season spelled the end for her in the Windy City.
“I’m not satisfied (with) what I am as player, and I feel like being around these kinds of players would help me get better,” Reese said. “And that’s all I ever wanted. I don’t care about anything else that comes with it.
“At the end of the day, I want to win. Being able to come to an organization that really cared about their players … having a GM that really wanted me and knew what my talents are.”