WNBA: Angel Reese Declares 'Delayed, Not Denied' After Dream Loss

Angel Reese declared her season "delayed, not denied" in her first social media message since the Atlanta Dream lost the inaugural WNBA Game 7. The 24-year-old guard wrote on Sunday that she remains numb from the outcome but is proud of her performance in her third professional year.

Reese stated she has nothing to hang her head about and views the loss as a lesson rather than a final verdict. She described herself as hungry for more competition. "Every loss is a lesson & sometimes it’s not NO, just NOT YET," she wrote.

The Atlanta Dream fell to the Indiana Fever 68-63 on Saturday. The Fever captured their first championship in franchise history during their second season. Reese finished the decisive contest with eight points, 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. She shot 3-for-7 from the field and 1-for-3 from the three-point line.

Her regular season performance earned her the league's Defensive Player of the Year award. Reese averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while setting a single-season record with 521 total rebounds. Her 45.1% field goal shooting efficiency ranked among the league's best for the 2026 campaign.

Reese plans to spend the offseason away from the public eye. She will not play in the Unrivaled league and has paused her podcast. She intends to rest and train in Florida with her partner, Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr.

The player also thanked her mother, who shares her name, for supporting her throughout the journey. A video of the two walking off the court together after the final buzzer gained widespread attention. Reese acknowledged her teammates during the postgame press conference, noting that the group changed her life.

The Indiana Fever will hold a championship parade on Wednesday, November 4, from noon to 2 p.m. PT. The route runs along San Francisco's Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to King and Second streets. The 2027 WNBA season is scheduled to begin on May 1.