Atlanta Dream Coach Karl Smesko Praises Angel Reese- “She Wants to Be the Best Player”

The 2026 season movements not only shocked the fanbase but also strengthened the rosters to compete for the championship. One of those containers is the Atlanta Dream, who instantly entered the top five starting lineups in the 2026 season with the addition of Angel Reese.

While the ‘honeymoon period’ is nearly over, it’s time to get back to business for the team and players to live up to the hype around the side. Coach Karl Smesko had multiple practice reps and a couple of preseason games under his belt and has nothing but praise for the new addition.

Karl Smesko With Huge Praise For Angel Reese

The forward quickly improved the Dream’s stocks as a layup threat to the contender level with her ability to control the paint and boards. Star player, Allisha Gray, even called her the missing piece in the Dream’s project to win the title. And coach Smesko tells why the player is important and hungry on the floor.

“Just getting to work with her every day. Her attitude about the stuff, her wanting to get better. She wants to be held accountable. I mean, she’s an All-Star player, but she wants to be the best player,” Smesko Said in the interview.

"She's an All-Star player but she wants to be the best player." @AtlantaDream HC Karl Smesko on coaching Angel Reese. Says the team has "sky high" expectations and understands there will be an overreaction to their first few games. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/tFUl8CKco6

— Luke Hetrick (@LHSportsTV) May 5, 2026

The former LSU star has already impacted the Dream franchise’s fortunes through high ticket prices and merchandise sales. On the floor, the player also put in strong performances in pre-season games as the team looked to make adjustments.

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In the first preseason game, Reese played in just 13 minutes and left with eight points and seven rebounds. During the press conference, the coach praised her impact, and the player didn’t shy away from correcting him.

Angel Reese Interrupts Karl Smesko’s Press Conference

The 23-year-old faced her former side in her first game with the Dream. While Reese expressed gratitude towards the Sky organization, she was clinical on the floor, helping her side win the game. After the win, Smesko sat alongside Reese and Te-Hina Paopao to address reporters.

“And as I said, Angel just had a huge impact. She was willing to shoot the three. She drove, she got offensive rebounds. I mean, she was, I don’t know how many steals she got, but she had several steals,” Smesko told reporters.

Dream coach Karl Smesko talks a bit about scheme and the variety of ways they’re working Angel Reese into it all with not a ton of time before the season begins. pic.twitter.com/n1KyKoHopE

— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) April 30, 2026

At that point, Reese intervened. She held up three fingers, noting that there were three steals, drawing laughs from the room. Coach also joined the laughter and continued with his praise. The small incident highlights how well the player settled in the new team and will be looking for an even bigger impact.