Angel Reese’s 26-Rebound Performance Etches Her Name on Two WNBA Records

Angel Reese set the new single season rebounding record in her rookie season, but injuries allowed A'ja Wilson to overtake her.

Angel Reese’s 26-Rebound Performance Etches Her Name on Two WNBA Records

Angel Reese set two records in one game (Image via AR5 Source/X)

When Angel Reese was being analyzed as a prospect, many WNBA analysts pointed out that she needed to work on her skills if she wanted to survive in the league.

Since then, critics have been busy projecting just how bad she is on the offensive end. Even though her rebounding was otherworldly, her struggles shooting under the basket and her lack of impactful defense led many to believe she had a long way to go before being accepted as a proper All-Star.

In her second season, she improved her ball-handling and finished at the rim more efficiently. But when her college rival Caitlin Clark was at work developing skills to score, fans called out Reese for not at least matching the Fever star.

That narrative continued into this season as well. The last time the Maryland native was trolled on social media was when she struggled against Clark and the Indiana Fever, missing several shot attempts. But since then, the 24-year-old has turned a corner.

Her shooting efficiency was at an all-time high over the past three games, shooting an absurdly high 71% from the field. Those same naysayers were finally appreciating her game.

Then came their battle against the Los Angeles Sparks, and her shooting struggles returned. But what also returned was her relentless rebounding. By the end of the win, the box score displayed 26 rebounds under Angel Reese’s name.

Not only is that the single-game record for most rebounds, but that number pushes her season total to 458, breaking A’ja Wilson‘s record set in 2024. The monumental part of that accomplishment is that she can build on it, since the Atlanta Dream still have six games to play.

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Cameron Brink was responsible for Angel Reese’s shooting struggles

While there is no doubt that Angel Reese will probably be trumpeting her achievement over the next few days, one of the things she might be annoyed with is how she shot the basketball.

Cameron Brink was all over Angel Reese
Cameron Brink was all over Angel Reese (Image via Black Bull/X)

It is not as if the LSU alum had trouble getting to the rim. Rather, it was how it ended when she tried to shoot. Off her 14 attempts, Reese could only convert four.

Then, when one looks at the highlight reel, it is evident that three of her misses came when Cameron Brink was guarding her. The Sparks center is known to be one of the better shot-blockers in the league.

In the first two instances, Reese thought her superior strength was enough to get the separation needed for a score. But the Stanford alum not only absorbed the contact but also tracked the ball well to block the Dream forward both times.

If Angel Reese wants to keep improving her close-range shooting, she will have to figure out how to counter elite shot-blockers like Brink.

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Angel Reese joins Nikola Jokic with elite game stats

This 26-rebound effort may be Angel Reese’s crowning glory this season, but her effort in the Dream’s previous battle against the Sparks has helped her join a certain Nikola Jokic in an elite statistical record.

In that game, the three-time All-Star registered 20 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. That perfect shooting night was the only other time a player registered 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 3+ steals.

The other being the Denver Nuggets center, often regarded as the best player in the world, is some mighty comparison for Reese, who has faced nothing but criticism.

Considering her improvements over this campaign, and that too while playing for a loaded team, Angel Reese has established that she can thrive in any situation.

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