Angel Reese Refused to Back Down From WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was hyped for her highly anticipated matchup against reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson.

The two basketball stars faced off Sunday during an intense contest at State Farm Arena. The Las Vegas Aces ultimately held off a late Dream rally to secure an 85-84 victory.

Prior to tipoff, Reese spoke to NBC Sports' Jordan Cornette about guarding the league MVP. She acknowledged Wilson's greatness but made it clear she won't back down from the challenge.

"She's a great player," the two-time All-Star said. "She's the MVP for a reason but I know I'm a great player too."

"She's a great player, she's the MVP for a reason but I know I'm a great player too."



Angel Reese catches up with Jordan Cornette ahead of the Dream's battle with the Aces.



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The game appeared out of reach in the third quarter. Atlanta trailed Las Vegas by 19 points at one point, 73-54.

But the Dream mounted a significant second-half comeback and even secured an 84-83 lead in the final minute.

The Aces relied on Chelsea Gray's heroics to fend off the pesky Dream. The four-time WNBA champion hit a go-ahead fadeaway jumper with 3.6 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Meanwhile, Reese did her part in Atlanta's valiant comeback. She recorded nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 29 minutes. Reese struggled from the field, however, shooting 1-of-8 overall and committing eight turnovers.

Wilson controlled the individual matchup against the Dream forward. The 29-year-old finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.

The seven-time All-Star also made history by moving into 19th place all-time in the WNBA scoring list with 5,844 career points. Wilson passed Aces head coach Becky Hammon for the milestone achievement.

Related: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Make WNBA History Hours Apart

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 4:02 AM.