Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese has been recognised for her historic 2026 season.

Reese was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday, receiving 46 votes from a panel of 74 media members.

In her first year with the Dream, Reese set WNBA single-season records with 521 total rebounds and 206 offensive boards, as well as establishing a single-season record with 32 double-doubles. In a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on August 24, she pulled down a WNBA-record 26 boards.

The three-time All-Star averaged a league-leading 12.1 rebounds to go with a career-high 16.4 points per game. She also recorded a personal-best 1.8 steals per game to rank third in the WNBA.

Her presence on the court helped Atlanta finish 30-14 to earn the fourth seed in the play-offs.

Finishing behind Reese is voting was Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams, who received 20 votes, while Las Vegas Aces star A'Ja Wilson was third with four votes.

 

A season of making her presence felt on every possession

The best of 2026 @Kia Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese.#KIADPOY | #WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/63WCxedEwg

— WNBA (@WNBA) October 1, 2026