Angel Reese’s critics may remember her college basketball career for some controversies, but to the coach who knows her best, Bayou Barbie was instrumentally important to the women’s game.
LSU’s Kim Mulkey paid tribute to her outgoing power forward on social media following the Tigers’ season-ending loss to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Elite 8.
Using three ‘check mark’ emojis, Mulkey listed three of Reese’s biggest accomplishments from her time in Baton Rouge: ‘National Champion; Future @LSU grad; He inspired countless people, young and old.’
He left Reese with one final message: “Keep growing the game @angelreese10.”
Reese, a 6-foot-3 junior, announced her decision to declare for this month’s WNBA Draft this week following Monday’s loss in Albany, where the Baltimore native was at the center of controversy once again . This time the uproar centered on LSU’s absence from the court during the previous performance of the national anthem.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey hugs forward Angel Reese late in the second half of a recent victory.
LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey celebrates with Angel Reese after a Sweet 16 victory
Message from Louisiana State coach Kim Mulkey to Angel Reese: ‘Keep growing the game’
But unlike Colin Kaepernick’s protests against racist police brutality during his NFL days, Reese and his teammates didn’t seem to be sending a message. Rather, their pregame routine simply conflicted with that of the NCAA, and as a result, LSU was still in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem.
“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey said after Monday’s loss. ‘We have kind of a routine when they’re on the court and they come out at the 12-minute mark. I don’t know, we go in and do our pregame stuff. Sorry, listen, that’s nothing done intentionally.
The star power forward known for her eyelash extensions, painted nails and fierce paint play formally declared for the WNBA draft on Wednesday.
Reese, whose professional interests also include modeling and fashion, announced her decision through a Vogue photo shoot, saying she was inspired by tennis great Serena Williams who announced her retirement in 2022 in a similar fashion.
Until LSU’s season ended, Reese publicly left open the option of returning to the Tigers. But he acknowledged deciding to turn pro before March Madness began.
“I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” added Reese, who also expressed interest in playing professionally in Europe during the WNBA offseason. ‘I’ve won a national championship, I’ve been Player of the Year (SEC), I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to go pro and be one of the best basketball players to ever play. “I feel like I’m ready.”
LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey talks with Angel Reese during the SEC tournament
Reese, a dynamic 6-foot-3 forward who can run the floor, protect the perimeter and block shots anywhere, will likely join Clark, Indiana’s expected No. 1 pick, as one of the top players selected on the 15th. of April. Draft analysts have projected Reese as a seventh or eighth overall choice. An undeveloped outside shot is one of the few questions about his game as he leaves college.
Reese spent the night after the announcement watching an NBA game in New Orleans between the Orlando Magic and the Pelicans. He sat courtside with former LSU teammate Amani Bartlett, known for placing a crown on Reese’s head during pregame introductions last season. Reese appeared on the arena’s video board, drawing enthusiastic applause.
Reese grew up in Baltimore and began his college career at Maryland, where his brother Julian plays for the men’s team. He transferred to LSU in 2022 and the Tigers won the program’s only national title in Reese’s first season.
“She helped transform our program,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said. “We are all indebted to Angel Reese for the contributions she made to this program, helping us win our first national championship, and the contributions she made to our university as a whole.”
Angel Reese Gives Caitlin Clark Trash Talk During 2024 NCAA Championships
Reese recorded 61 double-doubles for the Tigers in two seasons. Only Sylvia Fowles had more double-doubles at LSU.
Reese averaged 20.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game at LSU, including seven games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Reese became the first SEC player since Vanderbilt’s Wendy Scholtens in 1989 and 1990 to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding in consecutive seasons.
This season, Reese was named SEC Player of the Year. Reese has played four college seasons, but she was among the athletes who were granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA because her career overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When he came here, he said he wanted to be here for two seasons and he lived up to that,” Mulkey said. ‘It has been such an extraordinary two years.
“She not only helped grow our program, but she also had an impact on the growth of women’s basketball across the country,” Mulkey added. “We wish her good luck as she moves to the WNBA and look forward to seeing everything she accomplishes.”
Reese burst onto the scene during LSU’s championship run last year as an extremely talented basketball player with a dynamic personality: approachable and interactive with fans and media off the court, and talking trash to her fans’ faces. opponents in it. Reese grew up playing basketball with her brother and her other kids in Baltimore, and she said it forced her to become physically and mentally strong on the court.
Since winning the title, Reese said there has been increased scrutiny on her, but maintained that she would remain “unapologetic.”
Reese and Mulkey had their heated moments, but the couple remained respectful of each other.
Her LSU teammates, who sometimes referred to her as ‘the queen,’ defended her leadership and what she’s been through, including a moment earlier this season when Mulkey suspended her for four games just before Action Day. Thank you, when he used to take a break. -Describes mental health breakdown.
“Everyone can have their opinion on Angel Reese, but they don’t know her,” Flau’jae Johnson said. ‘I know the real Angel Reese, and the person I see every day is a strong person, a loving and caring person. But the crown he wears is heavy. “She’s the kind of teammate that will make you believe in yourself.”
Players who did not compete in the Elite Eight had until Monday to waive their remaining eligibility. Players like Reese, who were competing in the Elite Eight or beyond, had about 48 hours after the last game to make their decision.
In what was his final college game, Reese injured his ankle in the second quarter against Iowa and still finished with 17 points and 20 rebounds before fouling out in the final two minutes of the game.
Reese was one of the top NIL earners in college, with a valuation of $1.8 million, according to On3.com. He has had marketing relationships with Coach, Reebok and Mercedes-Benz. Many of those deals could now become the type of sponsorships that professional athletes typically cash in on.