The WNBA Finals provided incredible basketball but for Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream, the ending was followed by some harsh scrutiny. After a nail-biting Game 7 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, WNBA veteran Sophie Cunningham – also known as the ultimate trash talker – shared what she believes ended Dream’s title dreams: divine intervention.
In her podcast with co-host Drew Hanlen last week, Cunningham broke down the decline of Reese’s offense in the second half of the series.
Reese dazzled early on in the series, holding the team on her back with great performances of 30 and 21 in Games 2 and 3 to help Atlanta open up a 2-1 series advantage. Her production on the offensive end, though, took a nosedive as the series progressed.
Hanlen noted that while Reese has taken a step forward with her game, including attacking the basket more in terms of free throws and beyond the three-point arc, her inability to convert easy baskets down low was apparent.
“She was the one in control,” Cunningham said. “She is a constant recipient of those types of opportunities, due to the physicality and size. She gets those frequently, as she is taller and very dominant inside.
Over Games 4 to 7, Reese endured cold shooting streaks near or below 50%, and in six games she had more turnovers than points.
External critics and pundits have been quick to deliver angry hot takes about the star forward’s work in the last stages of the series. Cunningham’s critique, though, was technical and more constructive, not personal.
The Indiana Fever guard laid the problem at the door of a focused offseason goal: establishing reliable touch around the rim.
Reese will have the offseason to reset and work on her game while the core of the Atlanta Dream has rebuffed the offseason floodgates with every player under contract for another year.
The pieces are set for a 2027 bounce back. The final piece for Reese to make the leap into true super-stardom will be that consistent close-range touch.
