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Angel Reese is brought to tears as her mother presents her with a Defensive Player of the Year award

Angel Reese experienced an unforgettable milestone after being awarded the 2026 Kia Defensive Player of the Year trophy during her debut season with the Atlanta Dream. The star forward secured the honor following a record-shattering campaign where she topped the league in rebounds per game, set a single-season rebounding mark with 521, and collected 32 double-doubles while helping her squad reach a 30-14 regular season record as the fourth seed.

The surprise was made even more special when her mother, Angel Webb Reese, personally delivered the news, leaving the athlete in tears of joy as she embraced her and thanked her teammates and the organization.

Following the emotional presentation, Reese quickly redirected her attention toward the upcoming postseason bracket. The Dream are scheduled to host the eighth-seeded New York Liberty for an upcoming semifinal matchup on Sunday, October 4.

Up nextWNBA· 12h ago

Atlanta Dream celebrate Angel Reese after AP Defensive Player of the Year honor