Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers were eliminated in the semi-final of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament 2024 after losing to Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes 87-94 in a rematch of last year’s Final. Reese opened up on her mental health struggles and the problems she’s dealt with since winning last year’s tournament.
“I just try to stay strong. I’ve been through so much. I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened, and I have stood strong every single time. I try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down, so I can be there for them. I just want them to know that I’m still a human. All this has happened since I won the national championship, and I haven’t been happy since then.”
Reese remains headstrong despite the challenges she’s faced, saying that she wouldn’t change anything about her journey.
“It sucks, but I still wouldn’t change. I would still sit here and say I’m unapologetically me. I’m always going to leave that mark, be who I am, and stand on that. Hopefully, the little girls who look up to me, I leave them with inspiration. Hopefully, it isn’t this hard, but all the things that come at you, keep being who you are, keep waking up every day, keep being motivated, stay ten toes, never back down, and just be confident..”
"I just try to stay strong… I've been attacked so many times. Death threats, I've been sexualized, I've been threatened… All this has happened since I won the national championship & I haven't been happy since then."
– Angel
(h/t @ClutchPoints )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 2, 2024
Reese put up 17 points and 20 rebounds to extend her tournament double-double streak to 10, tying an NCAA record. She shot 7-21 from the field while also registering two steals and two blocks, though her efforts were in vain.
Caitlin Clark put up 40 points on 13-29 from the field, making nine 3-pointers while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing 12 assists. She set the NCAA’s all-time record for three-pointers made in a career with her performance in this win, as she hopes to bring Iowa its first tournament win in history against UConn in the Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal Called Reese The Greatest LSU Athlete Of All Time
Angele Reese has overcome personal struggles to become one of the greatest athletes in college sports history, regardless of gender. Shaquille O’Neal called Reese the greatest LSU athlete of all time, even ahead of himself.
Shaquille O’Neal: “She’s probably the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first. Male and female.”
Nischelle Turner: “Including yourself?”
Shaquille O’Neal: “Yes. Guess what. She delivered. She delivered that package. See, a lot of us got the package, and we still got the package in our truck. She delivered that package.”
Reese can return to LSU for another season or head to the WNBA. She has two days to announce her decision but hasn’t indicated whether she’s leaning one way or the other.
She has delivered everything expected of her for LSU. She averaged 23.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks this season. Last year, she won the tournament Most Outstanding Player award and set the NCAA single-season record with 34 double-doubles in LSU’s championship win, where she overcame Clark and the Hawkeyes in the Final.
This year’s battle went Clark’s way, but the pair will likely get to build on their rivalry eventually in the WNBA.
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