Voepel chooses Reese in ESPN's awards panel
Michael VoepelESPN basketball journalist
Voepel selects Reese for DPOY in ESPN's published panel.
Responding to
Angel Reese deserved the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
“Voepel: Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Did Angel Reese deserve the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award?
The WNBA named Angel Reese its 2026 Defensive Player of the Year on October 1. She received 46 of 74 votes, ahead of Gabby Williams with 20 and A'ja Wilson with four. Voters defend Reese's impact on Atlanta's defense. Sue Bird and Lindsay Gibbs favor Williams while calling Reese deserving. Dan Zaksheske criticizes the result, and Andrew Jerell Jones argues for a shared Reese and Wilson award.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
Voepel chooses Reese in the panel. The other three analysts choose Williams, who is the panel's overall pick.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
ESPN's table records each analyst's DPOY choice.
After the quotation
The other three panelists select Williams; Voepel's own choice remains Reese.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Voepel's published selection directly endorses Reese.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Angel Reese, WNBA
More from this case
Read the full caseZaksheske favors Wilson and criticizes Reese's voting margin
“the best defender in the WNBA as far as I'm concerned”Read statement
Jones calls for a shared Reese and Wilson award
“it should have been at least a #WNBA Co-DPOY for A’Ja Wilson and Angel Reese.”Read statement
Falkenheim explains his Reese vote
“I voted for Angel Reese for Defensive Player of the Year.”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Voepel chooses Reese in ESPN's awards panel
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/4448-voepel-selects-reese-for-dpoy-in-espn-s
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Voepel chooses Reese in ESPN's awards panel". First published: 2026-10-02. Last updated: 2026-10-02. https://disputeindex.com/events/4448-voepel-selects-reese-for-dpoy-in-espn-s