Angel Reese's Referee Frustration Can't Become Dream's WNBA Finals Excuse

Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream have to move on from their WNBA Finals officiating anger.

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) talks with a referee during the game against the Golden State Valkyries. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese isn't happy with the officiating in her team's WNBA Finals Game 5 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night.

When Reese, who finished the game with seven points on 2-for-8 shooting and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, was asked what the Valkyries did that made things tough for her during the game, she said, "Honestly, I think for me, I'm trying to figure out how to play through the physicality. A lot of us are getting fouled, and they're not calling it. Or we're talking to the ref after, and they're saying, 'Oh, we'll get you next time.' So it is a little frustrating."

She then added that she's used to this treatment by referees but is frustrated for her teammates, as they aren't subject to that same physicality during the season.

Reese's coach, Karl Smesko, was asked about how Angel is being defended shortly after and said, "The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous, just ridiculous... You can't be at this level and make that many mistakes."

Reese was later asked when she started having the feelings she has about how she is being officiated against the Valkyries and said, "I would definitely say last game, for sure. There was also a possession where Gabby [Williams] pulled me on purpose, and she was screaming, 'Foul, foul, foul,' and they didn't call it. So that definitely was frustrating."

"It definitely shifted when we went up 2-1, and things shifted. I don't know what happened, but it definitely took a big turn," she later said.

Angel Reese on the officiating:

"I would definitely say last game...there was also a possession where Gabby pulled me on purpose and she was screaming foul foul, foul and they didn't call it. So that definitely was frustrating for sure. And her team is saying it and they're all… https://t.co/7SCzw3NAtT pic.twitter.com/pSuaC48jok

— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) October 27, 2026

Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream Must Move Past Referee Frustration to Save WNBA Finals

Reese and Smesko both raise a fair point, and they're within their rights to feel frustrated about how the past two games have been officiated.

But they can't dwell on something out of their control after their WNBA Finals lead has slipped out of their hands.

Officiating aside, Atlanta did not play well enough to win either of the past two games. They didn't shoot the ball enough and weren't as cohesive on offense as they had been in the three previous games against the Valkyries.

If Reese and the Dream are too worried about officiating, it's going to cost them once again during Game 6 on their home court. Instead, they need to focus on controlling what they can control, return whatever physicality the Valkyries are giving them that the referees are allowing, and find a way to force a winner-take-all Game 7.

If the Dream don't do so, and they allow officiating to dominate the game, they'll regret it once Golden State wins the WNBA championship.