NEW YORK -- Exactly one year ago, Angel Reese took to social media while watching Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals and posted three simple words: "manifesting the finals."
On the road Friday night, Reese led the Atlanta Dream to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, scoring a team-high 22 points in a series-clinching 85-83 win over the New York Liberty.
Reese, playing in her first postseason, averaged 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in a 3-0 semifinal sweep.
"I manifest a lot of things," Reese said. "I think it's important to speak positive into your life, positive into your team. But this is all God. I'm just so thankful, and I'm blessed to be able to be in this situation. A lot of people wish they were here, and I'm not going to take this moment for granted. I'm here for a reason. We're all here for a reason.
"It just shows the power of the tongue. Being able to speak things into your life. When you speak positive things in your life, it happens. You manifest big things and big dreams and have those goals and you can do anything you put your mind to."
The Dream will face the Golden State Valkyries, who swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the other semifinals. The Valkyries opened as -125 favorites to win the WNBA Finals, which begin Oct. 17.
At this point last season, Reese was a member of the Chicago Sky after the team finished another disappointing campaign. She and the organization were on the outs after she was critical of the roster late in the season, and Chicago ultimately traded her to Atlanta in April. Since then, Reese earned her third All-Star nod, was named Defensive Player of the Year and won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.
She was the last player to leave the court Saturday, making the rounds to give hugs to friends and family, and finally exhaled afterward.
"Just knowing I belong here," Reese said. "Knowing, coming to Atlanta, how much I wanted to help this team and do whatever it takes. Not just to get out of the first round, not just to get out the semis, but to make it to the Finals and win a championship. And the job is not done. We're definitely happy about where we are right now, but we're not satisfied."
Reese helped turn the Dream into an elite defensive team, and that showed throughout the series. The Liberty were held to 82 and 83 points in Games 1 and 3, and even in Game 2, which went into overtime, New York committed 17 turnovers and All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu was held to 10 points.
The Dream also were able to do it all with four-time All-Star Allisha Gray missing the past two games because of a hand injury.
Rhyne Howard scored 21 points in Game 3, Jordin Canada added 19 points and 11 assists, and DeWanna Bonner contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Liberty had a chance to tie or take the lead with 17.7 seconds left. Breanna Stewart (26 points, 6 assists) worked herself into position for a 5-foot jumper, but it wouldn't fall.
"I felt like I was able to elevate and get my head on the rim," Stewart said. "I think that I needed to just have a little bit better touch when you're going off the backboard. But those are positions that you want to be in. That's the shot that I want to take. It hurts because you don't always make those shots."
Dream coach Karl Smesko said he was glad to finish the series now.
"The last thing we wanted to do is to have them have an opportunity to get a win and feel some momentum. So we're glad we took care of it today," Smesko said. "We're at the point right now where we'd like to be playing every couple days. We're playing really well, but we will make the most of this time to be as prepared as we can be."