Shortly after Angel Reese led Louisiana State University to win its first national championship, the basketball standout star has been faced with criticism for taunting a player on the opposing team.
In a post-game press conference, Reese addressed what some thought was “taunting” Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, pointing out that the media was quick to call her out because she didn’t “fit the narrative,” and adding that others were not criticized for doing the same during celebratory wins.
“I’m happy. All year, I was critiqued about who I was. The narrative – I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit the box you all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. You told me that all year,” Reese said.
She continued: “But when other people do it – you all don’t say nothing. So, this is for the girls that look like me. That’s going to speak up for what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you and that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. It was bigger than me. Twitter is going to go in a rage every time. And, I mean, I’m happy. I feel like I helped grow women’s basketball this year. I’m super happy and excited. I’m looking forward to celebrating and then next season.”
Reese further explained to ESPN that in the moment she gave props to Clark even though Clark waved off a player in South Carolina during the national semifinal on Friday.
“Caitlin Clark is a hell of a player for sure, but I don’t take disrespect lightly,” Reese said. “And she disrespected Alexis and South Carolina, they’re still my SEC girls, too. You all are not going to disrespect them either. I wanted to pick her pocket. I had a moment at the end of the game, and I was just in my bag.”
Last month, the LSU basketball star received praise after becoming the first player with 25 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in an NCAA Women’s Tournament game since 2000.
At the time, her team (30-2) went on to defeat the Michigan Wolverines (66-42), advancing them to the Sweet 16.
Reese was the No. 2 overall player in her 2020 class. The recent transfer from the University of Maryland guided St. Frances Academy in Baltimore to three consecutive state championships.
Born May 6, 2002, Reese was awarded the McDonald’s All-American honor in 2020 while attending St. Frances Academy. She would then be recruited to play for Maryland and was considered the best recruit in the program’s history, but her freshman season came to a screeching halt after she fractured her right foot. She was later named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press her sophomore year before transferring to the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). At LSU, she was named a first-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) in her junior year.
“I feel like that’s what separates me from a lot of players, that I have that dog mentality and I always want to go out there and win and I’m very passionate about that,” Reese told The New York Times in an interview earlier this month. “So whoever’s in front of me, I’m going to go get it, and I’m going to talk trash to you the whole entire game, and that’s that.”
