Angel Reese Called Her Shot, And The WNBA Just Confirmed It With 46 Votes

Angel Reese declared the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year was going to be an Atlanta Dream player. More than that, she pretty much said it was *her*. Turns out, the rookie phenom was absolutely right, with the WNBA officially announcing Reese as the league’s DPOY on Thursday, October 1. This isn’t just a big win for Reese, it’s a huge moment for the Dream, making her the first player in franchise history to snag the honor in her very first season with the squad. Talk about making an entrance!

No Doubt About It: Reese Earns Her DPOY Hardware

This wasn’t some narrow squeaker of a win, either. Reese clearly dominated the voting, pulling in a massive 46 of the 74 total votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. You just don’t get that kind of consensus unless you’re truly making an impact on the defensive end. For context, Gabby Williams came in a distant second with 20 votes. Even A’ja Wilson, who’s been a defensive force and won the DPOY award three times in the past four seasons, only managed four votes this time around, landing her in third place. That tells you everything you need to know about the kind of season Reese put together. She stepped onto the court, owned her defense, and made the league take notice.

“It’s Just The Beginning”: What Reese’s Win Means

You gotta love Reese’s attitude, even after securing such a huge award. She’s already thinking about her teammates. “I have the trophy, but I definitely want Jordin (Canada) and Rhyne (Howard) to sign it because I think they deserve it just as much as I do,” Reese said. That’s pure class right there, giving props to the squad that helped make it happen. She added, “I’m grateful for Atlanta, I’m grateful for my teammates and my coaches and all the supporting staff that supports us. It’s just the beginning.” That last line is the one that should put the league on notice. A DPOY award in your first season? With that kind of confidence and team-first mentality? This isn’t just a moment, it’s a statement. Angel Reese is here, and she’s not slowing down.

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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.