Former LSU Tigers standout and current Chicago Sky stalwart Angel Reese once opened up about how she deals with the public backlash. During a press conference after the Tigers’ 2024 Elite Eight matchup, a teary-eyed Reese was asked what was going through her mind as her teammates defended her amid the negativity around.
Reese and her LSU squad were coming off a heartbreaking 94-87 defeat against their non-conference rivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes, which ended their hopes of a national title defense. Guards Hailey Van Lith and Flau’jae Johnson were sitting beside Reese and defended her throughout the presser, making Reese extra emotional.
“I don’t really get to stand up for myself. I mean, I have great teammates. I have a great support system. I got my hometown, I got my family that stands up for me. I don’t really get to speak out on things just because I just try to ignore and I just try to stand 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, I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time,” Reese said. (1:45)
“And, I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and like not be there for them. So, I just want to always just know like, I’m still human,” she added.
Reese and the rest of the 2023-24 Tigers were pursuing a storied national title repeat in the 2024 NCAA tournament. Their 2022-23 NCAA championship was the first in their program’s history. They won the 2023 NCAA title after defeating the Hawkeyes, 102-85, and concluded the season with an overall record of 34-2 (15-1 SEC).
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When Angel Reese Shared That Winning The 2023 NCAA Title Brought Her Backlash
In the same press conference, while discussing the backlash she received, Angel Reese opined that all of it started when she helped coach Kim Mulkey‘s LSU Tigers win the 2023 national championship, for which Reese was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Reese explained that she would not change anything about herself for the public eye and hoped to be an inspiration for the younger generation.
“All of this has happened since I won the national championship, and I said the other day, I haven’t had peace since then. And it sucks, but I still wouldn’t change. I wouldn’t change anything, and I would still sit her and say like, ‘I’m unapologetically me. I’m going to always leave that mark and be who I am and stand on that.’ Hopefully, the little girls that look up to me and hopefully I give them some type of inspiration,” she shared. (3:00)
Also Read: “I Might Have to Move in a Different Direction”: Angel Reese Demands 1 “Non-Negotiable” for Chicago Sky’s Future
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