Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese set a WNBA milestone Saturday, becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 1,000 career rebounds — reaching the mark in her 79th game, 10 games ahead of Tina Charles's prior record — as Atlanta defeated Indiana 113-96. Reese then addressed her decision to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, hours before Fever fans booed her during a 108-101 Atlanta road win.
Back-to-Back Wins Lift Atlanta to 11-4
Atlanta swept Indiana in a three-day stretch, winning Thursday's road game 108-101 and Saturday's home contest 113-96. Reese logged 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Thursday win; Caitlin Clark led Indiana with 26 points in that loss. On Saturday, Reese finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. Clark again led the Fever with 26 points. The twin results moved Atlanta to 11-4 on the season; Indiana fell to 9-7.
Reese on the Anthem and the Boos
Reese told reporters Saturday that singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday — the day before Juneteenth — was an instinctive response to the environment. "It was just one in the moment of where I was, and how it felt," Reese said, noting the experience of hearing loud boos from Fever fans inside the arena. She described the song as representing those who came before her, saying it made her feel the moment was "for the ones that walked for me." Reese also emphasized the importance of representation, saying she will never stay silent on things she believes in, particularly for young Black girls and boys watching her play.
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" — often called the Black National Anthem — began as a poem written in 1900 by James Weldon Johnson, with music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson. A choir of 500 schoolchildren first performed it publicly in Jacksonville, Florida. The NBA announced in 2021 that WNBA teams would play the hymn in arenas during Juneteenth celebrations as part of league social justice initiatives.
Rivalry, Trade Context, and Viewership Stakes
The Dream acquired Reese from the Chicago Sky in April in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, bringing the two-time WNBA All-Star and 2023 national champion to an Atlanta franchise coming off what it described as a historic 2025 season. Reese and Clark's rivalry traces to the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship, where LSU defeated Iowa 102-85 in a game that drew 9.9 million viewers — then the most-watched women's college basketball game on record. Saturday's Atlanta win marked the second time in three days the league's two highest-profile matchups delivered results, with Reese's record milestone providing the statistical headline the WNBA's Juneteenth week generated.