In Dream’s home preseason debut, Angel Reese makes her mark
Gateway Center Arena had a different vibe.
It was just a preseason game, but the Dream’s home court had a new energy.
Call it the Angel Reese effect.
In her first game at her new home court, Reese had 10 points and four rebounds in 11-plus minutes, as the Dream fell to the Mystics, 83-72, on Sunday afternoon.
Fans entering Gateway Center Arena were serenaded by the sounds of popular song mashups throughout the building, prompting them to dance as they searched for their seats. Even a few players on both sides nodded along as they filtered into their shooting lines for warmups.
The arena held a fair but strong crowd for a preseason game, offering the team a mini-preview of the support expected once the regular season begins Saturday at Minnesota.
The home opener is May 17 at State Farm Arena against the defending-champion Aces.
And while the attendance was modest, compared to what’s ahead, the energy inside Gateway Center Arena made it feel much larger, especially when the Dream ran out for final warmups and introductions.
Reese ran out of the tunnel holding rookie Madina Okot’s hand, joining the rest of her teammates, giving the fans their first glimpse of the new Dream team as one unit, preparing to defend their home court.
Okot said Reese was a big help in guiding her during her first home outing too.
“Yeah, she’s (Angel) always trying to get me ready,” Okot said. “You know, she’s more experienced than I am, and she’s just always trying to talk to me through the things that I’m supposed to be doing.
“When I’m on the bench, she’s in, and when I’m in, she’s on the bench, so that means that she’s seeing more of what I’m doing out there, and it’s just like trying to correct me on what I’m doing wrong and how she’d like me to move. And I feel like the coaches are going through her more to get to me. And yeah, I just appreciate that.”
Gathered in their pregame huddle, the instant chemistry and bond showed. Players talked through possessions, encouraged one another and stayed engaged both in warmups and when the game began.
Immediately, Reese found her confidence on the court, looking decisive and attacking the lane on offense. She defended Mystics rookie Lauren Betts in her time on the court. Though struggling a bit to keep Betts in front of her in the first quarter, Reese turned it around in the second by being more aggressive in protecting the rim.
Dream coach Karl Smesko’s plan at the start was to give the starters around 12-15 minutes of playing time to evaluate different lineups. While there were areas to clean up, he saw progress from the group.
“We’re still getting in the groove with some things. But, you know, I can see that we’re close to putting it together,” he said. “The ball got stuck quite a few times, and we didn’t end up getting good shots. And we’ve got too many good players to have empty possessions.”
The Mystics pushed the tempo of the game early and took an 11-4 lead. Reese experienced a bit of physicality from Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen. Snapping her head around quickly and eyeing Iriafen with a hint of irritation after her shot was blocked, Reese clapped her hands toward her before being helped up.
Smesko noted that while the starting group could have found a stronger rhythm with more time, but developing the bench was just as important.
“They’re so talented. I’m sure they would have gotten better. But at the same time, we have to develop this bench. We’ve got a lot of very young players, and this time for them to play against another team is very valuable,” Smesko said. “These are 40 minutes. And to get a good look at everybody, I think it’s only fair that they get enough time out there that they can show what they can do.”
Even late in the game, the atmosphere didn’t wane. With under two minutes remaining, the crowd broke into the Swag Surf during a timeout. Another reminder of the Atlanta energy surrounding this new era of Dream basketball.
While the result didn’t go their way, the game offered a glimpse into the team’s identity. From early chemistry to a lively home environment, the Dream showed signs of a group continuing to build, yet still growing comfortable together as they prepare to face the regular season.
