Angel Reese likely played her final game in the NCAA, and it ended in defeat, leading to her to open up on the struggles and battles she’s faced for the last 12 months with trolls mocking her, before Flau’Jae Johnson rushed to her defense. The star of the LSU Tigers team almost broke down in a press conference after being outshone by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, during which she revealed the hate she has received since winning the 2023 national championship game.
But with her reputation for trash-talking, her moment of vulnerability has been latched onto by trolls, with Johnson believing the media has done little to help protect the 21-year-old from the hate in a sweet statement. “Everybody could have their opinion on Angel Reese,” Johnson said in the news conference. “But y’all don’t know her.
“Y’all don’t know Angel Reese. I know Angel Reese. I know the real Angel Reese, and the person I see every day is a strong person. “She’s a caring, loving person. The crown she wears is heavy, bro. She’s the type of teammate that will make you believe in yourself.”
Flau’Jae Johnson defends Angel Reese ❤️
(h/t @gifdsports )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 2, 2024
Johnson’s words might ring true on the basketball front as she stepped her numbers up to average 14.7 points per game, 2.5 assists per game and 2.1 steals with a 50% field goal accuracy, all career-highs that have come in the presence of Reese.
What did Angel Reese say?
Reese posted 17 points and 20 rebounds in the win with four assists, but notably struggled with shots from distance, going 7-21 from field goal attempts (33%). Her effort wasn’t enough to stop the unstoppable Caitlin Clark force of nature, as the Hawkeyes progressed to the Final Four and somewhat avenged their 2023 defeat to the Tigers.
But after the game, Reese, who is rarely emotional, admitted she has been struggling to manage the pressure and attention from fans and media in the last 12 months, since she became an NCAA Division I champion. “I just try to stay strong,” Reese said after the March Madness loss. “I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened…
“I’m still human. All this has happened since I won the national championship, and I haven’t been happy since then.” Clark posted 40 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in the 94-87 victory at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York to give herself a shot at winning the national championship before closing a fairytale NCAA career to go to the WNBA.
