Angel Reese has completed a blockbuster move to the Atlanta Dream just days before the highly anticipated WNBA draft 2026.
She was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream last Monday, ending a tumultuous tenure after the star forward publicly challenged the team's ambition. In exchange, the Chicago Sky secured two future first-round picks for 2027 and 2028, alongside a second-round pick swap in 2028. The Dream has the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028. Reese confirmed the move by announcing it on social media with a catchy message: 'An Angel's DREAM ATL WHAT UP?!'
An Angel’s DREAM💭
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 6, 2026
🅰️TL WHAT UP?! @AtlantaDream pic.twitter.com/obtqyhl35e
Public Clashing Between Reece And The Sky
The Angel Reese trade of 2026 is the culmination of months of friction between the player and the front office. During the 2025 season, Reese created headlines by demanding a higher standard of talent recruitment, as reported by CBS Sports. 'I am not settling for the same s--- this year,' Reese said.
'We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That's a non-negotiable for me. I'm willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that's what I'm going to do this offseason.'
'So it's going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can't settle for what we have this year,' she added.
Reese later apologised for those comments, saying, 'I want to apologise to my teammates, which I already have about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said.'
'And I just have to be better with my language. Because I know it's not the message, it's the messenger. And understanding what I say can be taken any kind of way. So, I just have to really be better and grow from this.' The trade comes eight months after those comments.
Joining Title Contenders' Team
Reese joins an already stacked Dream team that features prolific shooters Rhyne Howard and Allisha Grey. The Dream finished last season with a 30-14 record and made the playoffs, eventually losing to fellow star and Angel Reese rival Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever.
Reese finished the 2025 WNBA season averaging 14 points per game and 13 rebounds per game. Reese has also made the All-Star game in both of her WNBA seasons and led the league in rebounds.
The Dream look to make a push back to the playoffs when their season tips off on the 13th of May on the road against the Minnesota Lynx.
Chicago Sky Draft Picks And Roster Rebuild
The Sky are now looking toward the future, holding the 5th overall selection in the upcoming week's draft. Sky's General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement: 'This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties. Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky.'
thank you, Angel 🩵
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 6, 2026
wishing you the best in Atlanta! pic.twitter.com/JWGGOwVhGP
'We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter,' he said.
Reese's loss now leaves a void in Chicago's front court as the 2026 draft is on the horizon. The Sky has a first-round pick that will be used to bring more talent to its roster, which already includes former first-round picks Camila Cardoso and Ariel Atkins. The Sky finished 10-34 in 2025 and picked 5th in next week's draft. The Sky's season will begin on 10 May against the Portland Fire.
Social Media Splits
In the eyes of fans, this move demonstrates Chicago's poor leadership and how good a trade this is for both Atlanta and Reese. One Ricky O'Donnell called Chicago's leadership 'terrible.'
It was easy to see this Angel trade coming. Here's my big picture piece on the Sky's horrible leadership and what Reese meant to the franchise from September: https://t.co/EOX5WgxlIN
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) April 6, 2026
'Good for her to be traded to an organisation that will support her growth and provide an opportunity to win,' said another fan, Hayden Cilley.
This Angel Reese trade has me shaking my head. Good for her to be traded to an organization that will support her growth and provide an opportunity to win.
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) April 6, 2026
On the flip side, the Chicago Sky look like more and more of a laughing stock by the day after a move like this.
Reese's trade marks the start of a new beginning for her as she joins a dream team poised to make a playoff run. On the other hand, the Sky begins a year of uncertainty, hoping to get back to the WNBA playoffs for the first time since 2023.
By joining the Atlanta Dream, Reese enters a locker room already primed for a deep postseason run. Reese's ability to generate second-chance points will be a nightmare for opponents when the season tips off on 13 May against the Minnesota Lynx.
