The welcome mat for Angel Reese's first home game with the Atlanta Dream looked more like a slippery slope. The two-time WNBA All-Star, acquired from the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster offseason trade, struggled mightily in front of the home crowd Sunday afternoon, piling up six turnovers in the first half against the Las Vegas Aces.
Reese, who helped the Dream open the season with two road wins, couldn't find her rhythm early. The turnovers kept coming—offensive fouls, errant passes, and forced drives—leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads. For a post player to rack up six giveaways in a full game is rare; doing it in a single half is almost unheard of.
“How did Angel Reese have 6 turnovers in a half?” asked Sports Illustrated WNBA writer Robin Lundberg on social media, echoing the disbelief spreading across the basketball world.
Despite the miscues, Reese did manage 7 points on 1-of-3 shooting, but the damage was done. The Atlanta crowd roared for their new star early, but the energy shifted as the Aces pulled away. Las Vegas, led by MVP A'ja Wilson, capitalized on every mistake, turning Reese's struggles into transition buckets.
The reaction from WNBA fans was swift and divided. Some expressed sympathy, with one fan writing, “I give Angel credit for not getting passive when her team needs her. Wish the offensive fouls didn't also get counted as turnovers.” Others were less forgiving: “Angel Reese 🤡 More turnovers than rebounds More turnovers than points Can't make layups Can't shoot jumpers,” one critic posted.
Reese's pregame outfit had turned heads earlier, but it was her on-court performance that became the main talking point. The contrast between the glamorous arrival and the gritty reality of the game highlighted the high expectations placed on the third-year forward.
This rocky home debut comes after a promising start to the season, where Reese and the Dream posted back-to-back wins on the road. The historic milestones set by Reese and Caitlin Clark during opening weekend now feel like a distant memory as Reese searches for consistency in her new uniform.
For Atlanta, the hope is that this is just a rough patch. Reese's talent is undeniable, but as Sunday showed, even stars can have off nights. The Dream will need her to bounce back quickly if they want to stay competitive in a loaded WNBA field. For now, the home crowd is left wondering: was this just a bad day, or a sign of things to come?
