Angel Reese isn’t a fan of the AI-generated images she’s seen of herself on social media. As the internet continues to navigate the recent burst in AI content, the 21-year-old college basketball star is calling out the exploitation of public figures in fake images. “Creating fake AI pictures of me is crazy and weird AF,” Reese wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Reese wrote more on the topic in a follow-up post, telling her 384,000 plus followers she knows she’s “fine” and seems to “have an appeal to some,” but added, “I’m literally 21 and y’all doing this bs when I would neverrrrrr.” The details of the AI images that upset Reese remain unclear, but the LSU Tigers star was met with an outpour of support for her posts.
creating fake AI pictures of me is crazy and weird AF!
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 19, 2024
One user responded, “Smh it has to be hard to be in the limelight bc you have a gift and passion… However, you got to take the good with the bad and just ignore that mess and continue to stay focused,” to Reese’s post. “Be you, learn and grow. F— the haters! Do great things and don’t look back,” another account replied.
After she became a household name for leading LSU to the 2023 NCAA Championship, Reese told PEOPLE she felt “overwhelmed” with “so many” eyes on her, but says she’s embraced the opportunity to be a role model.
“It’s a blessing, honestly. I’ve kind of embraced it. People are watching me,” she said at the time. “I mean, it’s a fast life I’m living. I think I have to mature quickly. I’m going to learn from mistakes that I make, but I have a lot of great people around me that help me and I’m blessed to have them around me. I’m happy.” Reese’s LSU Tigers are looking to make another splash in this year’s March Madness Tournament when their first round against Rice University kicks off on Friday.
After she took home the 2023 ESPYS Award for Breakout Athlete, Reese promised LSU fans that another national championship was on the way. “Last year I transferred from the University of Maryland to play at LSU, and I just joined a family. So I just want to say thank you, and another natty is coming, period,” she said at the ESPYS in July. Reese beat out her fellow nominees — Iowa Women’s Basketball’s Caitlin Clark, San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy and Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez — for the 2023 award.
