Angel Reese has responded to taunts on social media about her recent form on the court by claiming that online trolls wish they could swap lives with her. Away from the court, Reese’s no-nonsense approach to social media has earned her cult status amongst basketball fans who constantly hail her as the future queen of basketball.
She is also known as the Bayou Barbie for her elegant style and the fact she is a powerful influencer. Even without stepping into the WNBA yet, Reese has millions of followers on social media – but not all of them are well-mannered. In recent times this season, the 21-year-old has been absent from the lineup for Louisana State University (LSU) and attracted criticism from fans questioning her commitment.
But Reese was largely unfazed by the messages sent towards her, going as far as suggesting her ‘haters’ are simply jealous of her glamorous lifestyle. Reese wrote on her Instagram page to her 2.6 million followers: “everybody hating wish they could swap lives with me & that’s why i don’t take yall serious”, with a hand-to-face emoji. In one of the four images uploaded in the post, Reese is seen being crowned like a queen – a fitting shot for a woman who embodies that monarchical imperiousness. In the next slide, she is seen grinning from ear to ear with the crown firmly on her head.
Angel Reese, queen of college basketball
Reese was LSU’s on-court leader last season when the Tigers won the maiden national title. LSU defeated Virginia Tech in the Final Four before overcoming Iowa in the championship game – and Reese cashed in from the success. But it didn’t come without a price to pay. Her absence from the team at the start of the season was not disclosed by LSU, before she recently said her mental health was “the most important thing before anything”, suggesting she may have been battling against mental health issues that prevented her from playing.
Since returning in November, Reese has been going strong after her four-game absence from the LSU. She has averaged 19.7 points per game in the 11 games she played and has been posting an impressive rate of 11.2 rebounds per game. Few would doubt that, on her current trajectory, she is destined for the big leagues. And perhaps in time, her theory about swapping lives will become true if she becomes a WNBA star.
