Angel Reese Reacts to Dream's 5-Game Losing Streak, Opens Up on WNBA 'Championship Culture'

Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese believes her team will be stronger in the long run as it watched its losing streak stretch to five games Saturday.

Following an 88-83 defeat to the Golden State Valkyries, Reese told reporters that "adversity builds character" and that the Dream will "figure this out together."

The two-time All-Star added that "knowing there's a light at the end of the tunnel" can help to mentally manage a string of bad results.

"It's not supposed to be easy. Championship culture is not supposed to be easy," she said.

Reese said the presence of Aaliyah Nye is helpful in that regard. Nye spent her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces, who were sitting at .500 in early August last year before hitting their stride and winning a WNBA title.

With a 12-9 record, the Dream aren't matching the pace they set a season ago. Atlanta tied for the second-best finish (30-14) in the league and marked a franchise record with a .682 winning percentage.

In particular, an offense that thrived with the arrival of coach Karl Smesko has gone backward. The Dream were second in offensive rating in 2025 and have fallen five spots to seventh.

Atlanta shot just 39.4 percent from the field and committed 17 turnovers in Saturday's loss. Going 23-of-33 from the charity stripe was another frustrating statistic.

Valkyries-Dream Highlights

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The Dream don't play again until Thursday, when they welcome the Seattle Storm. That gives Smesko and his players a few days to reset and put their recent struggles behind them.

Getting back in the win column would certainly be nice to build some confidence.