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Angel Reese’s Triple-Double Helps Dream Rout Valkyries 97-71

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 6:08 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Angel Reese Leads Dream

Angel Reese led the Atlanta Dream to a 97-71 Game 3 victory over the Golden State Valkyries.
She recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals in 34 minutes.
Reese became the first WNBA player with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games.
She entered 2026 as Defensive Player of the Year and set the league’s single-season rebound record.

Summary

WNBA Players Skip Anthem

Players from both teams left the court during the national anthem, sparking the WNBA anthem controversy.
It marked the third straight Finals game in which athletes skipped the anthem despite league rules requiring standing.
The league has not responded to media inquiries about the repeated absences.
Critics urged banning anthem-skipping players from the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball roster, while fans debated viewership and sponsorship effects.

History

Historical Context

In October 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics, gold-medalist Tommie Smith, who set a 19.83-second world record, and bronze-medalist John Carlos raised black-gloved fists on the podium, a human-rights salute that IOC president Avery Brundage condemned and caused their expulsion. The act inspired the 2026 WNBA Finals, where Angel Reese and the Golden State Valkyries boycotted the anthem, echoing the 1968 challenge to league rules.

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Angel Reese Leads Dream

Angel Reese led the Atlanta Dream to a 97-71 Game 3 victory over the Golden State Valkyries.
She recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals in 34 minutes.
Reese became the first WNBA player with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games.
She entered 2026 as Defensive Player of the Year and set the league’s single-season rebound record.

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