Angel Reese Can’t Hide Frustration as She Gives Damning Assessment After Season-High Performance Ends in Loss

Angel Reese scored a season-high 25 points for the Atlanta Dream in a 104-90 loss to the New York Liberty at Gateway Center Arena on Thursday.

Reese shot 11-of-21 from the field but went 0-of-4 from three-point range, while adding nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in 33 minutes. She was two points away from tying her career high of 27 points set in a win over Seattle Storm in July 2024.

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But Reese downplayed the season-high, saying,

“Career highs don’t matter unless you win.”

She also shouldered much of the blame, feeling she could have done better.

“It was just frustrating because I think I could have done better, especially at the free throw line, and also I think I could have done a better job in the ball screens. We’re just going to look back, and I’m going to watch film and clean it up.”

The 24-year-old also received an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. Reese had a scrappy moment with Liberty rookie Pauline Astier when she drove to the basket early in the fourth quarter. It was initially called an and-1 opportunity, but the Liberty challenged the call, which was later overturned to an offensive foul on Reese. It was her fourth foul of the game. Reese also received a technical foul for taunting Astier with a “too small” celebration.

Following the game, Reese addressed the technical foul but noted that the emotions of the game were a factor.

“You can only control what you can control,” she said. “It was a tough possession because I thought it was a legal position but you got to move on and keep it pushing. I think my team has kept me lifted. But yeah, it was a tough stretch. We talked about managing emotions better, and I think I just have been doing a good job of that, and improving on it.”