Angel Reese led the Atlanta Dream to a 99-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday night, and she did so in quite the dominant fashion.
The victory not only helped the Dream clinch a Playoff berth, but Reese also set a career high in points. Her effort on both ends of the floor has drawn rave reviews from the WNBA world.
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Angel Reese Garners Praise from WNBA Fans After Career-High Night Against the Mercury
Reese dropped 31 points tonight, which is a career-high for her, while grabbing 14 rebounds and snagging 4 steals. While many scoff at her shooting efficiency (43.1% from the field), she didn’t leave much for her detractors tonight, going 14-21 from the floor.
Fans set X ablaze as they showered her with praise.
“Put some RESPECT on her name,” Legion Hoops posted.
One user shared a profanity-laced take: “She is so [expletive] good. Haters gonna hate.”
“That blown layup has woken Angel Reese,” another fan suggested.
This is in reference to her missing a point-blank layup with less than four seconds left in regulation against the Fever last week while the score was tied. The game went to OT and Atlanta lost 95-91.
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A few days later, Reese admitted she “didn’t sleep” following that missed game-winner. “I replayed that play so many times, but I’m like: Why would I let one moment dictate everything else that I have going on that is positive?”
Since then, Reese has had a 21-point performance vs the Las Vegas Aces, recorded 20 points on 9-9 shooting from the field against the Los Angeles Sparks, and, of course, today’s career-high outing.
Hoop Central,highlighting the Dream forward’s lights-out night, remarked: “UNREAL PERFORMANCE.”
One WNBA observer went down the comparison route and pitted her against what many consider to be her rival, writing, “Keep that efficiency rising, and she’s gonna be one of the best in the league. Even better than Clark.”
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however, as there was still a bit of doubt in the air, as one user in particular quipped, “Not falling for this linsanity run.”
Jeremy Lin famously had nearly a month of offensive brilliance in February 2012, with fans using the phrase ‘linsanity run’ to describe anybody they deem to be performing far too well for their standards.
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However, Reese has learned to compartmentalize this hate over the years.
In 2024, she said, “Early on I’m like, ‘Why do people hate me so much?’ ‘Why are people so negative?’ But then, I look back at myself in the mirror knowing who I am and being inspired by who I am.”
With Reese on a hot streak and the Dream holding a 24-13 record while qualifying for the Playoffs, it seems as though Atlanta will have a reason to root for at least one basketball team this year.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
