GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 09: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers takes a free throw against the Ole Miss Rebels in the third quarter during the semifinals of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 09, 2024 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Angel Reese has confirmed her next move in her basketball career. She’s headed to the WNBA draft. The LSU Tigers forward first shared the news in a Vogue spread released on Wednesday (April 3).
But she knew her decision in mid-March when the interview happened. And she also knew she wanted to tell the news in a fashion spread “inspired by Serena Williams.”
“I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten [Southeastern Conference] Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro—and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready,” Reese told Vogue.
She played her last game with Lousiana State University on Monday, which ended in an 87-94 loss against the Iowa Hawkeyes. In her last press briefing as a college baller, Reese gave an emotional testimony about the last year.
Her teammate Flau’jae Johnson followed up in that briefing by bragging about Angel’s character and leadership. The sisterhood moment went viral.
“…But y’all don’t know her. Y’all don’t know Angel Reese. I know the real Angel Reese. And the person I see every day is a strong person, is a caring, loving person. Bro, the crown she wears is heavy bro. She’s the type of teammate that’s gon’ make you believe in yourself,” Flau’jae said.
The last year brought the 6’3, 21-year-old plenty of UPs. She wore the crown as the 2023 National Champion Tournament MOP, 2024 SEC Player of the Year, 2x All-SEC, and broke the record with the NCAA, SEC, and her university LSU, per CBS News.
She dominated on the court and was one of the highest-paid student-athletes for name-image-likeness deals, per Vogue. She landed deals with Amazon, Beats by Dre, and Goldman Sachs, to name a few.
Through the ups, came downs. The intense backlash she faced after gesturing to Caitlin Clark in a sports-usual competitive way on the court. Then, there was the end of her public romance.
And still, she’s ready to take on the WNBA and all that will come with it.
“I want to start at the bottom again. I want to be a rookie again and build myself back up; I want to be knocked down and learn and grow at the next level,” she told Vogue.
