What happened: Reese finished 2026 with 500 rebounds, the highest single-season total in league history. She also set the single-game rebounds mark with 26 against the Los Angeles Sparks and the single-season double-doubles mark with 32. Reese was one of two players to average a double-double this season.

Why it matters: Those numbers help explain why Reese's first year in Atlanta ended with the league's top defensive honor and made her the Dream's first Defensive Player of the Year winner. For the Atlanta Dream, that kind of control on the glass can tilt possession battles, second-chance volume and late-game margins.

What to watch: The next measure is whether that rebounding edge carries Atlanta deeper into its next postseason test. Reese's Year 4 follow-up will show whether 2026 was a breakthrough season or the new baseline.