Angel Reese is on a roll this season. The Atlanta Dream star has helped her team qualify for the playoffs. On the international stage, she was part of the USA team that won its fifth straight gold medal at the FIBA World Cup.

Reese has been one of the WNBA’s best two-way players this season, as shown by her performances for the Dream since returning from the FIBA break. She is averaging 19.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in her last three games.

While her offense has reached a new level since the World Cup, her defense has been strong all season. She is among the favorites to win the Defensive Player of the Year award this season.

Here is a look at some stats that support her case:

#1 Opponent True Shooting % differential

Angel Reese has proven herself a dominant presence on the court. According to Hoops Junkie, Reese’s opponents have a true shooting percentage of -6.0% when she is on the floor.

When Reese is on the court, the Dream’s opponents shoot 55.8%, and when she is off the court, they shoot 61.8%. Reese is ranked second in the league in this statistic.

#2 Team Block % Differential

According to Hoops Junkie, the Atlanta Dream make almost twice the number of blocks on two-point attempts when Reese is on the floor. They have a +4.5% block differential.

When Reese is on the floor, the Dream has 8.9% blocks per game. When she is off the court, the statistic falls to 4.3%. The Dream star ranks fourth in the league in this statistic.

#3 Team Steal % differential

The Dream’s defensive setups are more secure when Angel Reese is on the floor, with a steal % differential of +2.9%.

When Reese is on the court, the Dream swipes the ball 11.4% per game. When off the floor, that percentage drops to 8.6%. The Dream star ranks third in the league in this metric.

7. Single-game and season rebounding records

Angel Reese has been playing some of the best basketball of her career in her first stint with the Atlanta Dream. In a 78-71 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 24, the three-time All-Star broke the record for most rebounds in a single game. She recorded 26 rebounds in the win, breaking a 23-year-old record, which was previously held by Chamique Holdsclaw.

In the same game, Reese broke A’ja Wilson‘s record (451) for most rebounds in a single season. Later, the Dream star became the first player in WNBA history to record 500 rebounds in a single season. She currently has 521 rebounds this season.

6. Fastest player to reach 1,000 career rebound mark

Angel Reese shattered quite a few records this season. Earlier this season, she became the fastest player in league history to reach the 1,000 career rebound milestone.

She reached the milestone in the 79th game of her career, which, ironically, was a 113-96 win over the Indiana Fever on Jun. 20. Reese currently has a career total of 1344 rebounds.

5. Third consecutive rebounding leader

Since her rookie season, Angel Reese has made it clear that she is an ultimate competitor on the boards. She is a back-to-back rebounding leader, winning the title in 2024 and 2025.

The Dream star is currently leading the league in rebounds for the third consecutive season. She is averaging 12.1 rebounds per game, and it is safe to say that she will win the title for the third time in a row.

4. Fourth-highest Defensive VPM in the league

Reese has the fourth-highest defensive value per possession metric in the league. According to Databallr, the Dream star has a defensive VPM of +1.69. Only Aliyah Boston, Gabby Williams and A’ja Wilson are above her in this metric.

3. Leads the league in Opponent Turnover% differential

Angel Reese’s presence makes the Dream a turnover-forcing menace. According to Hoops Junkie, she is currently leading the league in opponent turnover percentage differential at +2.8%. It means that with Reese on the floor, Atlanta’s opponents are prone to turn the ball over.

Atlanta has an opponent turnover percentage of 18.5% with Reese on the floor and a 15.8% without her.

2. 4th best team defensive rating with a shorthanded front court

The Atlanta Dream have the fourth-best defensive rating in the league this season, at 103.5. With Brionna Jones out for the rest of the season, the Dream’s front-court defense relies heavily on Reese. So far, she has done a great job at commanding the Dream’s defensive line.

1. Best defensive rating differential in the league

Angel Reese leads the league in defensive rating differential this year, making her one of the most influential players on defensive possessions. She has a defensive rating differential of -15.5, meaning that the Dream’s opponents score 15.5 more points per 100 possessions when she is off the floor.

Combined with her elite rebounding skills, Reese’s importance on the Dream’s defense makes her a strong candidate for this season’s DPOY award.