Angel Reese and DeWanna Bonner React to Dream Teammate’s Heartfelt Note

Angel Reese and DeWanna Bonner each took a moment to respond to a teammate’s thank-you message after a painful end to the WNBA season.

Atlanta Dream rookie Isobel Borlase posted a six-photo Instagram carousel on Monday.

The images captured moments from her debut campaign.

Her caption was brief: “thank yall.”

Reese commented: “proud of you, izzyyyyy.”

Bonner wrote: “Izzzz!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️.”

The exchange came two days after the Dream lost Game 7 of the WNBA Finals.

Golden State Valkyries defeated Atlanta 68-63 at Chase Center on Saturday.

It was the first winner-take-all Game 7 in WNBA history.

The series had shifted dramatically after Atlanta took a 2-1 lead.

Over the first three games, Reese averaged 21.7 points and 13.3 rebounds on 56.4 percent shooting.

She was the frontrunner for Finals MVP.

Then Golden State adjusted its defensive scheme.

The Valkyries forced the ball out of Reese’s hands.

Over the final four games, her scoring dropped to 9.5 points per game.

Her rebounding average fell to 12.3, and her turnovers climbed to 4.8 per game.

Reese still finished the season with historic individual numbers.

She set the league record for most rebounds in a single game.

She also broke the record for most rebounds in a season.

She recorded the most double-doubles in a single WNBA campaign.

Reese earned her third consecutive All-Star selection.

She also won her first Defensive Player of the Year award.

Borlase, meanwhile, was a steady presence throughout the year.

Atlanta selected her 20th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

She spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons playing in Australia’s WNBL.

She made her WNBA debut in 2026.

The 5-foot-11 guard played all 44 regular-season games.

She averaged 4.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 13.0 minutes per contest.

She became a regular part of the rotation.

Bonner joined the Dream late in the regular season.

She started the year with the Phoenix Mercury.

She reached a buyout agreement with Phoenix toward the end of the regular season.

The buyout allowed her to sign with a contender.

Bonner is a two-time WNBA champion.

She chose Atlanta for another shot at a title.

The Dream came within one win of delivering that championship.

Bonner is now set to enter free agency this offseason.

It is unclear whether she will return for another run with Atlanta.

The 2026 WNBA season was a defining year for Reese.

After being traded from the Chicago Sky, she became the face of the Atlanta franchise.

The trade sent shockwaves through the league.

Reese’s performance throughout the season drew comparisons to all-time greats.

But criticism also followed.

Emmanuel Acho harshly criticized Reese for her play in the final four games of the Finals.

Acho called Reese a “frontrunner” on his show.

He argued that she trash-talked when Atlanta led but could not sustain that energy when the stakes rose.

Cam Newton came to Reese’s defense.

Newton said Acho’s comments were designed to generate attention.

“A person like Angel Reese is such an easy target,” Newton said.

“But we don’t talk about Candace Parker’s struggles, Taurasi’s? Why are we holding Angel Reese comparable to a Michael Jordan, a LeBron James, a Steph Curry? That’s not her field, bro. She’s still a young player. What are we doing? Stop!”

Newton added: “Now, you’re saying certain things just to get viral.”

Reese also faced social media backlash after a clip of her trash-talking resurfaced following the Game 7 loss.

Separately, Sportskeeda reported that Sophie Cunningham’s co-host Drew Hanlen backed up his criticism of Reese with shooting statistics.

Hanlen faced backlash from Reese’s fans after his initial comments.

Despite the criticism, Reese’s 2026 season was statistically dominant.

She broke multiple league records.

She became the first player in WNBA history to record 30 rebounds in a single game.

She finished the regular season with the highest single-season rebounding total ever.

Her double-double record surpassed the previous mark set by Sylvia Fowles.

The WNBA’s 2024 draft class, led by Caitlin Clark and Reese, has transformed the league.

Their unique talents and the attention they demanded made a historic new collective bargaining agreement possible.

The league saw 3.3 million people watch the Valkyries win their first title by defeating the Dream in Game 7.

When the 2024 draft took place, the Valkyries were little more than an idea.

The league had never even played a best-of-seven series, let alone had a winner-take-all Game 7.

Clark, Reese and the rest of the 2024 class have now been in the league for three seasons.