WNBA free agency had barely opened when the Atlanta Dream made their blockbuster move. Within 24 hours of the market going live, the Chicago Sky agreed to send Angel Reese to Atlanta in a trade that signals very different futures for both franchises.
Chicago gets Atlanta's first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. Atlanta gets Reese and a 2028 second-round pick swap.
Two seasons with the Sky produced 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game across 64 regular-season appearances. She made the All-Star team twice. Now she's headed south, and the Dream fans could not be happier about it.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Data shows total fan support for Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese trade
Atlanta's excitement was not hard to read. Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker made it clear soon after the trade that this wasn't just a sizeable addition. The fanbase lit up the moment news broke.
"The fans have said it best. I have a stat here that is wild. Nearly 100% positive fan sentiment across every social media, every media outlet. They love her. She absolutely belongs here, and we're so happy to welcome her home," Shaw Parker said on WSB-TV. "Obviously she's an LSU grad, but our fans have basically said there could be no better move than to bring her in with this team. We couldn't be more excited. She fits in with the Atlanta culture like no other. She's got a great core team around her that's gonna be incredible on the court."
Reese matched that energy, calling the move an "Angel's dream."
Atlanta Dream viewed as fit for Angel Reese
The Chicago Sky took Reese seventh overall in the 2024 draft and she made good on that investment quickly. Her rebounding was elite from day one and her offensive game kept growing as the season went on.
Off the court, she built a genuine connection with head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. One that made Weatherspoon's dismissal after just one season hit harder than most coaching changes do. Reese did not hide her frustration. That tension between her and the organization did not go away, and it quietly shaped how things unfolded from there.
Atlanta represents a clean start. The Dream have veteran pieces in place and a culture that Shaw Parker believes fits Reese naturally, not just in terms of basketball but in terms of who she is. The belief inside the organization is that her energy and style are exactly what they've been building toward.
For a player still figuring out the full scope of what she can be, landing in the right environment at 23 matters. Atlanta thinks it's that place.
