Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese stands in a position that many imagined would happen for other WNBA players. Reese’s team is tied 1-1 with the Golden State Valkyries in their Finals matchup. The former LSU star, after a tumultuous tenure in Chicago, found herself headed to Atlanta in a trade.
Reese intensified her game, posting career highs in points per game (16.4). Also, the forward stepped up her game on the other end of the floor, winning the Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Now, the 24-year-old’s breakout year has translated into another aspect of the game, and social media immediately took notice.
WNBA Fans Laud Dream Forward Angel Reese as Ratings Spike for Finals Game 1
By no small measure, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s careers have intertwined despite not playing the same position. Clark is undeniably the marketing face of the WNBA. The Fever not only draw a sizable home crowd, but they remain a ratings attraction.
The Valkyries’ victory in Game 1 set a record, with an average viewership of 2.1 million. Social media could not contain itself with praise for Reese and the Dream.
“Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals averaged 2.1 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, per NBC Sports. That’s the most-watched WNBA Finals Game 1 ever based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics. The game was up 11 percent over last year’s Game 1.
The numbers for Finals games on USA Network/CNBC should be lower simply given reach. We’ll see how that shakes out. But an excellent number for the league for G1,” tweeted media personality Richard Deitsch.
Reese has enjoyed a renaissance on and off the court. Perception continues to evolve past the preconceived notions surrounding her, which wasn’t lost on the fans.
“Uh oh! This doesn’t support the narrative lol,” mentioned one user.
Reese gained national acclaim in college when her LSU Tigers defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes for the national championship. In particular, with the game a foregone conclusion, Reese’s gesture of placing an imaginary ring on her finger thrilled fans and irritated others. From there, a deal with Reebok and increased visibility led fans to come to their own conclusions.
“Angel got motion,” proclaimed another X user.
Reese slowly built her game, improving it. More importantly, her confidence on the offensive end stood out. In a Game 2 victory, Reese recorded 30 points and 16 rebounds in a 79-65 win over the Valkyries. As a result, fans called on her most ardent critics to be accountable for their words.
“Absolutely incredible stuff,” replied an X user.
After a rough year from a perception standpoint, the WNBA managed to turn around the negativity, weather the proverbial storm, and carve out one of their better postseasons. Fans seemed more engaged, and some of that has to do with how Reese has not only improved but transformed the conversation surrounding her.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.