Angel Reese has never been known for her outside shooting, but the Atlanta Dream star is starting to give defenders a reason to think twice before leaving her wide open. Her improvement has come at an important time, with Atlanta preparing for its first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013.
The three-time All-Star has worked to expand her offensive game since arriving in Atlanta. However, one particular training camp moment with Dream coach Karl Smesko left her frustrated and embarrassed, even with her teammates cheering her on.
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Angel Reese Reveals How Dream Coach Put Her on the Spot
Reese joined Atlanta after spending her first two WNBA seasons with the Chicago Sky, where she established herself as one of the league’s best rebounders. Her outside shooting, however, remained a glaring weakness.
She shot 18.8% from 3-point range as a rookie and 18.2% in 2025. Her percentage improved slightly to 19.3% during the 2026 regular season, though she still struggled from beyond the arc.
Smesko’s offense places considerable emphasis on 3-point shooting, and he wanted the former Sky star to become more comfortable taking those shots. After Atlanta’s semifinal victory over the New York Liberty, she recalled one uncomfortable moment from training camp where Smesko went to work on her shooting.
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“I remember a moment in training camp where we were going through drills, and he stopped everybody and told me I had to make two (3s) in a row in front of everybody. And you never want to shut down your teammates, you never want to let your teammates down,” Reese said.
“And we couldn’t resume the drill until I made two in a row, and I was upset with him that day for sure because I didn’t want to let the team down. I didn’t want to feel embarrassed by how long it could’ve taken me to make them. … I was pretty embarrassed.”
The newly named Defensive Player of the Year has shown improvement from deep during the playoffs, making 5 of 13 attempts (38.5%) through five games. That’s a significant increase from her regular-season percentage, although the sample size remains small.
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She is also averaging 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in the postseason, helping Atlanta sweep New York to reach the WNBA Finals. Game 1 against the Golden State Valkyries will be on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Reese still has work to do as an outside shooter, but Smesko appears to hold the belief that a full offseason focused on that part of her game could lead to further improvement.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
