Record Breaker! Angel Reese Makes WNBA History With a Monster Performance
Quick Summary
Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese shattered a WNBA record on Sunday. She earned her 29th double-double of the season, the most any player has ever had in a single year. Her team also beat the best team in the league!
What Happened?
On Sunday, August 30, the Atlanta Dream hosted the Minnesota Lynx — the top team in the whole WNBA. It was the last game before the league takes a break for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The Dream needed a strong performance, and they got one.
Angel Reese grabbed 11 rebounds and scored 15 points. That gave her a “double-double” — reaching double digits in both points and rebounds in the same game. Her 29th of the season broke the old record of 28, which Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun set back in 2023.
Teammate Allisha Gray also had a fantastic game, making six three-pointers and finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Together, they led the Dream to an 89–81 victory over the league’s top team.
Reese has been building an amazing record book all season long. Earlier this year she reached 900 career rebounds in just 71 games — the fastest any WNBA player has ever done it.
Why Does It Matter?
A double-double is considered one of basketball’s best all-around performances. Getting one is a sign that a player is both scoring and helping their team control the ball. Getting 29 in a single season means doing that almost every single game!
Reese’s record is especially impressive because the WNBA season is shorter than the NBA season. That means there are fewer chances to earn a double-double. She is doing it against the best players in the world, night after night.
And she is not done. The Atlanta Dream still have games to play this season. That means Reese could push the record even higher before the year is over.
Big Words
- Double-double — when a basketball player reaches at least 10 in two different stat categories in one game, most often points and rebounds.
- Rebound — when a player grabs the ball after a shot misses the basket; it is one of the most important skills in basketball.
- WNBA — the Women’s National Basketball Association, the top professional women’s basketball league in the United States, founded in 1996.
- FIBA World Cup — the biggest international basketball tournament in the world, where teams representing different countries compete against each other.
- Single-season record — the best performance ever achieved within one regular playing season, not counting playoffs.
Fun Fact
A double-double in every game of a full WNBA season would require about 40 in a row. Reese is on pace to set a record so high it may stand for decades!
Think About It
Angel Reese excels at rebounding — fighting for the ball when shots miss. How do you think hard work and focus on one specific skill can help someone become the best in the world at it?
Sources
- AP via US News — Angel Reese Breaks WNBA Record With Her 29th Double-Double as Dream Beat Lynx 89-81
- TSN — Angel Reese breaks WNBA record with 29th double-double
- Yahoo Sports — Atlanta Dream’s Angel Reese sets WNBA single-season double-double record
- Heavy.com — Angel Reese Makes WNBA History in Atlanta Dream’s Statement Win Over Minnesota Lynx