LSU star Angel Reese is taking her talents to the WNBA. The 21-year-old in an interview with Vogue announced her intention to declare for this year’s WNBA draft on April 15. The news about Reese’s next big career step came after LSU’s Elite Eight loss to Iowa on Monday.
At the time, it was unclear if the 6-foot-3 forward was going to remain with LSU for another year or enter the WNBA draft. But that is no longer a secret. “I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” said Reese.
“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 also touched on why she decided to make the big announcement via Vogue, explaining that she drew inspiration from Serena Williams. The retired tennis star announced her retirement in the fashion magazine.
“Of course, I like to do everything big,” Reese said. “I didn’t want anything to be basic.”
Reese has had an exceptional college basketball career and landed several NIL deals as a result. And though critics said her off-field popularity could negatively impact her form, Reese said she was not really perturbed.
“I wrote down: ‘People are going to doubt me thinking I got too Hollywood, I got too big-headed,’” she said. “But I said I was going to be SEC Player of the Year, and I was SEC Player of the Year.”
Reese would also have to make a big adjustment in the WNBA as many teams in the league cannot boast of the amenities and facilities that she had access to at LSU. The 21-year-old, however, said she’s ready for the challenge ahead.
“I want to start at the bottom again,” Reese told Vogue. “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.”
Reese’s announcement comes after she emotionally opened up about her ordeals over the last year following their game against Iowa. Monday’s tense game saw Caitlin Clark and Iowa denying the LSU Tigers’ run for a repeat national championship. The two top-seeded teams also faced off in last season’s title match, with Reese helping the Tigers clinch their first national championship.
But Reese on Monday opened up about being targeted and cast in a bad light following their 2023 national championship win. “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,” the 21-year-old said, per CNN.
“I’ve been so many things and I’ve stood strong every single time. I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them … I’m still a human.”
Reese became a topic of discussion during last year’s final game after she mimicked wrestler John Cena’s “you can’t see me” sign in Clark’s direction. She also pointed her finger to signify the championship ring she was eventually going to get.
What transpired during that game sparked a conversation about the supposed rivalry between Reese and Clark, and that was reignited before the two teams faced each other on Monday. But though Reese stated that she has since been portrayed as the “villain”, she made it clear she and Clark “don’t hate each other” and are just “super competitive” when playing, CNN reported.
