Key facts
- Atlanta Dream defeated Los Angeles Sparks 78-71 on Monday
- Angel Reese collected 26 rebounds with 11 points, 3 assists, 3 steals on 4-of-14 shooting
- 26-rebound performance breaks Chamique Holdsclaw’s 23-year-old WNBA single-game record of 24
- Reese now has 458 total rebounds this season, surpassing A’ja Wilson’s previous single-season mark of 451
- Dream improved to 25-13 and clinched fourth place after completing 4-0 West Coast road trip
- Over the four-game trip, Reese averaged 20.8 points, 15 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.5 steals on 57.9% shooting
The record-breaking performance
Angel Reese grabbed 26 rebounds in the Atlanta Dream’s 78-71 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday night, setting a new WNBA single-game rebounding record. Reese also contributed 11 points, three assists and three steals, though she shot just 4 of 14 from the field. The 26-rebound haul broke the previous mark of 24, set by Chamique Holdsclaw in May 2003 — a record that stood for over 23 years.
Record-breaking season underway
In the same performance, Reese surpassed A’ja Wilson’s single-season rebounding record. Reese now sits at 458 total rebounds with six games remaining in the regular season, exceeding Wilson’s previous league record of 451 rebounds from 2024. Reese holds the second-most 20-rebound games in WNBA history with five such performances, tied with Tina Charles, the league’s all-time leading rebounder with 4,262 career rebounds.
Dominant West Coast stretch
The victory over the Sparks capped a perfect 4-0 West Coast road trip for the Dream. Over those four games, Reese averaged 20.8 points, 15 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.5 steals while shooting 57.9%. In her first game against the Sparks earlier on the trip, Reese recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while shooting a perfect 9 of 9 from the field. Against the Phoenix Mercury during the stretch, she scored a career-high 31 points in her first 30-point game as a professional, a performance that clinched the Dream’s playoff berth.
Team standing and season average
The Dream improved to 25-13 and secured sole possession of fourth place in the playoff picture. For the season, Reese is averaging 12.4 rebounds per game, which ranks third all-time in single-season average, behind only her own 2024 average of 13.1 and her 2025 average of 12.6.
Reese’s perspective
After the game, Reese acknowledged her poor shooting night and her ability to find an alternative avenue to impact the outcome. “Last time I was here, I didn’t miss any shots. Tonight, I couldn’t hit shit, so I knew I was going to be able to get them on the rebounding side,” she said. Dream coach Karl Smesko praised Reese’s overall trajectory, saying “Angel’s been remarkable on this trip. You can see her getting better each month.”
Sources
Featured photo: The White House via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)