Since entering the WNBA, Angel Reese has garnered a ton of attention. This continued after she was traded to the Atlanta Dream in April 2026, and she has undoubtedly exceeded expectations in recent months.
Despite consistent criticism levied at her shooting, Reese is now in her third straight season averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. Despite waves of controversy throughout her three-year professional career, Reese has a loyal backing, and now an analyst who typically clowns her is even speaking up in her defense.
Jason Whitlock Defends Angel Reese Amid Persistent Ridicule
Analyst Jason Whitlock has poked fun at Reese more than most, yet he recently took to X to highlight her recent success.
“Your WNBA Player of the Week finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds,” he wrote. “Angel Reese is a COMPETITOR. She will figure out a way to be effective no matter how much we make fun of her. Reese is a competitor. Got that dog in her.”
Your WNBA Player of the Week finishes with 31 points and 14 rebounds. Angel Reese is a COMPETITOR. She will figure out a way to be effective no matter how much we make fun of her. Reese is a competitor. Got that dog in her.
— Jason Whitlock (@jasonwhitlock) August 23, 2026
The young forward is averaging 16.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 44.1% from the floor. And while people may continue to call out her poor field goal percentage, Reese is still only 24 years old and far from a finished product.
For reference, during her 2025 campaign with the Chicago Sky, she finished with averages of 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds.
Reese currently leads the WNBA in rebounds, closely followed by Jessica Shepard of the Dallas Wings (11.1) and A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces (9.5). Reese’s 1.8 steals per game rank third in the league, just behind teammates Jordin Canada (2.0) and Rhyne Howard (2.4).
The Dream have also reaped the benefits as they recently passed Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever in the standings to sit in the fourth seed with a 24-13 overall record.
Now, the Dream is gearing up for a clash against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 24 at Crypto.com Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.
With Reese continuing to step up on both sides of the ball, the Dream are hoping to make some noise in the postseason.
Making a splash earlier this year to acquire Reese is proving to be a wise decision on Atlanta’s end despite what her critics think.
