The Atlanta Dream hosted the Las Vegas Aces on Monday night. The Dream and attending fans were treated to “Barbie Night,” a celebration of Atlanta’s All-Star forward, whom the franchise traded for this offseason in a blockbuster move with the Chicago Sky and recently debuted her own signature Barbie doll with Mattel, featuring Reese’s ponytail, pink nails, and an all-pink game-day look.
Reese talked before the game about the importance of having a doll that looked like her after not having many growing up.
“I didn’t have a lot of dolls because I didn’t have dolls that looked like me much, and that’s why I kind of wanna really wanted to make sure this was super intentional,” she said before the game.
Angel Reese on why she created her Barbie:
“I didn’t have a lot of dolls because I didn’t have dolls that looked like me much, and that’s why I kind of wanna really wanted to make sure this was super intentional …”
(Q:?) pic.twitter.com/bM1hjsyxDe
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) August 3, 2026
Dream head coach Karl Smesko even sported an Angel Reese Barbie shirt for the game.
Coach Smesko repping Angel Reese for Barbie Game Day in Atlanta.
(📷 via @JameelahJNBA) pic.twitter.com/zPbbsFsQrn
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 3, 2026
It’s never enough for some people
Unfortunately, the game did not go as Reese or the Dream envisioned. Atlanta lost to the Aces in blowout fashion, with a final score of 109-87. Fans on social media weren’t shy in criticizing Reese, who finished with an impressive stat line of 23 points and 16 rebounds. Still, some fans aren’t sold on her ability to impact winning.
“Angel Reese… Keeps getting blocked for fun at the rim. Sorry *ss shooting form. All she takes is layups, and she sucks at it,” one fan posted on X.
“She’s god awful,” another fan wrote.
Angel Reese getting her shot blocked on every attempt. She is just terrible!” someone else wrote.
What Reese’s detractors are failing to grasp is that she has been an All-Star every year of her young career, and will have a long, likely Hall of Fame career whenever she decides to hang up her sneakers. Her efficiency is already improving, and when she polishes her outside shot and shooting form, she’ll be as unstoppable as anyone the league has ever seen.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.