Angel Reese reaches milestone only a handful of WNBA stars accomplish this fast originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Every time it feels like Angel Reese has done enough to dominate the conversation, she finds another way to make history. The Atlanta Dream star added yet another milestone to her rapidly growing résumé Tuesday night, becoming one of the fastest players in recent WNBA history to reach 1,000 career points.
Advertisement
And the moment couldn’t have come at a better time. With Atlanta locked in a battle against the Connecticut Sun, Reese delivered the shot that helped change the game, and further cemented her status as one of the league’s most impactful young stars.
Angel Reese joins exclusive company
Reese entered Tuesday’s matchup needing just six points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her WNBA career. She got there with a shot that likely surprised some fans.
A three-pointer.
Late in the third quarter, Reese buried a corner three that not only gave her career point No. 1,000 but also pulled Atlanta within one point heading into a decisive stretch of the game. The Dream responded by completely taking over in the fourth quarter, outscoring Connecticut 26-10 on the way to a convincing 91-75 victory.
Advertisement
By night’s end, Reese had recorded yet another double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. For most players, 1,000 points would be the headline. For Reese, it almost feels like just another entry on an increasingly ridiculous list of accomplishments.
MORE: Los Angeles receives concerning Kelsey Plum news after another loss
The records keep piling up
That’s because Reese isn’t just scoring. She’s rewriting parts of the WNBA record book at the same time. Just days ago, Reese became the fastest player in league history to reach 900 career rebounds, accomplishing the feat in only 71 games.
Advertisement
Before that, she became the fastest player ever to reach several combined scoring and rebounding milestones. She’s already piled up double-doubles at a pace few players in league history have matched.
And now she’s crossed another benchmark before completing her third professional season. The scary part for opponents? Her game is still expanding.
Atlanta may be unlocking A new version of Angel Reese
One of the biggest storylines surrounding Reese’s move to Atlanta has been her development as a shooter. Dream head coach Karl Smesko has repeatedly discussed the work Reese has put into refining her mechanics and extending her range. Tuesday’s milestone basket served as a glimpse of what that work could become.
Advertisement
“I thought the crowd loved it. Team loved it. I loved it,” Smesko said afterward.
More importantly, he liked the process behind the shot.
“It looked like a really good release, like the release we’ve been working on.”
If Reese becomes a reliable perimeter threat on top of everything else she already does, the rest of the league could have a serious problem.
The Dream are becoming a contender
The individual milestones are impressive. The wins may matter even more. Atlanta improved to 6-2 with Tuesday’s victory and continues to look like one of the biggest success stories of the young WNBA season.
Advertisement
Reese has been at the center of that rise. She already has five double-doubles through eight games while ranking among the league leaders in rebounding and offensive boards. Now she has another accomplishment to add to the list.
One thousand career points.
For most players, that’s a major milestone.
For Angel Reese, it increasingly feels like a stepping stone toward something much bigger.
