Angel Reese Recalls 'Embarrassing' Training Camp Drill After Reaching WNBA Finals
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese shared a story about a practice drill that initially caused her discomfort but ultimately contributed to her team's success.
Angel Reese has reached the WNBA Finals with the Atlanta Dream, a feat she accomplished before Caitlin Clark. Reese recently shared an anecdote from training camp, recalling a drill that left her feeling "embarrassed" in front of her new teammates.
In a postgame news conference following the Dream's three-game sweep of the New York Liberty in the semifinals, Reese described an exercise orchestrated by Coach Karl Smesko. Smesko stopped a drill and required Reese to make two consecutive three-pointers before the team could proceed. Reese admitted that the situation made her upset with Smesko at the time, as she worried about failing and letting her teammates down.
"You never want to shutdown your teammates, you never want to let your teammates down, and we couldn't resume the drill until I made two in a row, and I was upset with him that day for sure," Reese said. "Because I didn't want to let the team down, I didn't want to feel embarrassed and how long it coulda took me to make them. But now it's like so easy."
Reese, often scrutinized for her shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, has seen improvement. While she made 39.1% of her shots in her rookie season, she shot 45.1% this regular season with the Dream. Her three-point shooting, historically a weaker aspect of her game, also showed progress. During the regular season, she made 19.3% of her three-point attempts, a slight increase from the previous year. In the playoffs, this figure has risen to 38.5% on five-of-13 shooting across five games.
Her performance in the clinching semifinal victory included 22 points and nine rebounds. The Atlanta Dream secured their place in the Finals for the first time since 2013. The team matched a franchise-record 30 wins this season and earned the fourth seed. Their Finals appearance comes despite losing center Brionna Jones to a season-ending injury and playing without All-Star guard Allisha Gray in the final two games against the Liberty.
Reese was traded to the Dream in April, joining a team that already had a strong core including Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada. The Dream's success this season follows a 30-14 record and a playoff run in Smesko's second year as coach. The franchise is seeking its first WNBA championship in its history, with the Finals set to begin on Oct. 17.