Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award, but it was how she received it, straight from her mom’s hands, that sparked an emotional moment for the three-time All-Star on Thursday, October 1. Her mom, also named Angel, surprised her with the honor in a moment that truly showed what it all means.
A Surprise That Hit Different
Moments before the surprise, Reese’s mom was already feeling it. “I’m feeling great. I’m nervous. I’m happy. I’m excited. I’m proud, and I can’t wait to present this to Angel,” she said in a video released by the team. And man, did she deliver! She walked into a team gathering holding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and the actual Defensive Player of the Year award, with Reese’s dog right there with her. You could see the shock on Reese’s face, wide-eyed and mouth open, completely caught off guard. Then, she just put her head in her hands as her Atlanta teammates went wild, cheering her on.
Raw Emotion and Big Goals
The second her mom presented the award, Reese hugged her and immediately broke down crying. Teammate DeWanna Bonner yelled “C’mon!” in the background as the rest of the squad clapped for their star. Reese’s mom shared how incredibly proud she was and made sure to thank the Dream for all their support. Through her own tears, Reese was able to share some thoughts, telling her team, “I’m so grateful for you guys. You guys (have) always been there for me and pushed me every single day and I’m so thankful.” It was a powerful, raw moment of gratitude and accomplishment.
This DPOY award comes on the heels of a pretty wild year for Reese already, who also got her own Barbie doll recently, becoming only the second WNBA player to ever have that honor. Barbie even partnered with the WNBA, the Dream, and the Las Vegas Aces to bring Barbie’s Dream House to State Farm Arena back on August 3. With all that going on, Reese is locked in. She said, “I’m just happy to be in Atlanta, and I just wanna finish this off the right way because I think we deserve it.” You gotta love that drive. This DPOY isn’t just an individual award; it’s a statement about what this team is trying to do.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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