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

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 the Year. And then, just as she told Copper, she made the most of her time in the playoffs. The Dream have yet to lose this postseason, sweeping the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty to make it to their first Finals since 2013.

Dream, Angel Reese sweep Liberty: How Atlanta reached first WNBA Finals since 2013

Jack Maloney

On Friday night, Reese had 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and even two 3-pointers to lead the Dream to an 85-83 victory over the more experienced Liberty on the road at Barclays Center. When the buzzer finally sounded, she finally exhaled, ran to celebrate with her mother and soaked up this moment that she had practically willed into existence.

"Having the opportunity to come to Atlanta, them wanting me in Atlanta and being able to push me every day to help me get to this very moment. It's really a shout-out to them," she said postgame.

"I manifest a lot of things. I think it's important to speak positives into your life, positives into your team. But this is all God. I'm just so thankful and I'm blessed to be able to be in this situation. A lot of people wish they were here, and I'm not gonna take this moment for granted. I'm here for a reason. We're all here for a reason."

Reese has been an absolute revelation during the playoffs. In the semifinals, she averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 boards, 2.3 assists and 2 steals per game, and shot 47.7% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. She's shown poise, toughness, and self-belief in the tough moments that belie her inexperience on this stage. And now, she is the first player from her generation of young, game-changing stars to lead her team to the WNBA Finals.

The 24-year-old Reese was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. None of the six players drafted above her -- Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Rickea Jackson, Jacy Sheldon or Aaliyah Edwards -- has so much as won a playoff series. Neither have any of the lottery picks from the 2025 draft, including No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers.

Reese has been passed over, dismissed as just a rebounder -- or, even worse, a "mebounder" -- and had her attitude and locker-room presence questioned when things went sour in Chicago at the end of the 2025 season. But here she is, still playing when almost everyone else is back home. And, as she made clear in New York, she's not done yet.

"Just knowing I belong here, knowing coming to Atlanta, how much I wanted to help this team and do whatever it takes -- not just to get out of the first round, not to just to get out of the semis, but to make it to the Finals and win a championship. And the job is not done. We're definitely happy about where we are right now, but we're not satisfied," Reese said.

"We're gonna enjoy this moment tonight, and we put a lot of work in for the season. We can't shy away from knowing that we did put a lot of work to get to this moment. I'm really proud of this group."