Dream President Celebrates Angel Reese Trade in No Uncertain Terms: She ‘Belongs Here’

The Sky dealt Reese to the Dream on Monday.

Reese was initially drafted to the league by the Chicago Sky. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

For WNBA star Angel Reese, the 2026 season is about to be a Dream.

After spending her first two years in the league with the Chicago Sky, the "mebounds"-loving forward is heading down south as part of a Monday trade with the Atlanta Dream, who sent their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks back to Chicago in exchange. (The Dream received a second-round pick swap in '28, as well, in addition to Reese).

Now, after finishing the 2025 season at the bottom of the rankings, the struggling Sky will have a chance to rebuild—if they can manage it—using the added draft picks, while the veteran-heavy Dream will receive a young, talented player who's eager to win.

"The fans have said it best," Dream team president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker on local channel WSB-TV Atlanta on Monday. "[There has been] nearly 100% positive fan sentiment across every social media, every media outlet. They love her.

"She absolutely belongs here and we are so happy to welcome her home. Obviously, she's an LSU grad, but our fans have basically said yes, that there could be no better move than to bring her in with this team. So we couldn't be more excited. She fits in with the Atlanta culture like no other and she's got a great core team around her that's going to be incredible on the court."

Talk about a glowing endorsement.

"She absolutely belongs here....She fits in with the Atlanta culture like no other." @AtlantaDream President and COO Morgan Shaw Parker following the trade for Angel Reese. Says ticket sales are already through the roof. Season tips off May 12 vs. Las Vegas. @wsbtv… pic.twitter.com/2qgWr709OO

— Luke Hetrick (@LHSportsTV) April 6, 2026

Dream general manager Dan Padover was similarly effusive in the initial press release announcing the deal.

“Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta," he said. "She has already proven herself as one of the most impactful players in the league, and her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision. This is an exciting moment for our organization and our fans.” 

Reese, who was selected by the Sky with the seventh overall pick of the 2024 draft, stands to add some newcomer energy to a seasoned Atlanta team—one that finished 2025 with a 30-14 record and a playoff berth.

And, although Reese had been critical of the Sky in the past, she did not request the trade, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou, who added that "the Sky worked closely with her team to find her a new home," and that "there was no contention between the two parties."

"I’m not settling for the same s--- we did this year," Reese told the Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe in September 2025. "We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me. ... I think the priority is being able to convince [free agents] that this is an organization that is going in the right direction."

At the time, Reese's comments caused a bit of a stir, so much so that the Chicago GM Jeff Pagliocca came out to say the org had no intention of trading her. Obviously, that outlook has since changed, but it still sounds like both parties are leaving things on a positive note.

The 23-year-old Reese finished the 2025 regular season with an average of 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. In March, she played alongside Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and more to help Team USA steamroll the competition in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

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