Angel Reese manifested this: How Dream star proved doubters wrong, turned belief into WNBA Finals reality

After being traded by Chicago, Reese has Atlanta undefeated in the playoffs and on the verge of its first title Last year, Angel Reese was sitting at home watching Game 4 of the WNBA Finals as the Las Vegas Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury to capture the title. She had just finished her second season in the league with the Chicago Sky and had yet to sniff the playoffs. Reese, who won a national title in college, wasn't used to losing. Going into her third season, things had to change. She didn't want to be on her couch; she wanted to be on that court, in that pressure-cooker of an environment, competing on the most important stage of the sport.

She texted her friend Kahleah Copper, who was playing for the Mercury, "Give me one game in the playoffs." One game, and she could turn that into a Finals appearance. She felt it. And then, she tweeted it. A year later, the manifestation worked. In the offseason, Reese was traded to the Atlanta Dream, a team that was the third seed in the 2025 playoffs but lost in the first round. She had the best season of her career on the court, averaging 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game and was named the WNBA Defensive Player of