Angel Reese announces sudden six-month break after brutal WNBA Finals loss
Angel Reese is stepping away for six months after a heartbreaking WNBA Finals loss, focusing on rest, family and rebuilding ahead of her return.
The end of a season usually opens a period of rest and reflection for any athlete, but Angel Reese appears determined to make the most of her time away from the court. After a historic campaign in which she led the Atlanta Dream to their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013 , the league star is planning a quieter offseason focused on her personal well-being and projects outside basketball.
“I won’t be doing my podcast this offseason, but you can expect some vlogs from time to time. So subscribe to my YouTube,” Reese posted on her private Barbie Archives Instagram account.
“Florida will be my home and I will be there resting, working out, continuing to quietly work on my personal brand, and supporting/loving my partner. These are things I love to do that bring me so much PEACE.”
Reese’s partner, Wendell Carter Jr. , plays for the Orlando Magic and spends the NBA regular season in Florida . As part of this new chapter, the forward also decided to take a six-month break from her podcast "Unapologetically Angel", which had remained active until last April 3 .
The decision comes after a year of tremendous physical and emotional demands. After being traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream during the offseason, Reese became a key piece for the team, leading them to a 30-14 record and the No. 4 seed in the standings. She also broke several rebounding records and was named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year .
The forward was also instrumental in Atlanta’s historic playoff run. The Dream won their first two playoff series to reach the Finals, where they ultimately fell to the Golden State Valkyries after becoming the first team in WNBA Finals history to push a series to a Game 7 .
The truth is that Reese started the Finals playing at an elite level. In the first three games of the series, she was one of the best players on the floor and even took responsibility for Atlanta’s Game 1 loss against Golden State .
In Game 2 , she recorded 30 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks , while in Game 3 she posted a double-double wit h 21 points and 12 rebounds . Both games ended with victories for the Dream. However, her offensive production dramatically declined during the decisive stretch of the series.
In the final four games of the Finals, Reese scored in double figures only once. She averaged 9.5 points per game, shooting just 26.6% from the field while committing 4.7 turnovers per contest.
She also faced criticism for some of her gestures during the series. In Game 3, Reese performed the “too small” and “you can’t f* with me”** celebrations toward Valkyries rookie Amanita Gueye, moments that were brought back into the spotlight after Atlanta ultimately lost the championship.
Despite everything, Reese made it clear after Game 7 that she still believes in her team and expects the Dream to compete for a title again.
“It’s tough, especially with a good group, a great group, that I’ve honestly been a head on it to battle with all year,” she said during the press conference.
“I always say delayed, not denied, and this is only year three. They got a lot more years left, too. But I’m just really grateful that I got to go to war with this group, and I would do it again, all over again.”
Now that the season is over, Reese will use the offseason to recharge, focus on her personal life and continue building her brand. Although her podcast break will temporarily reduce her public presence, the WNBA star is expected to remain at the center of attention very soon.
