LSU’s standout basketball players, Angel Reese, and Flau’jae Johnson, have broken new ground by starring in Amazon’s latest commercial. Titled “Dormz,” the commercial features the college athletes showcasing their dorm rooms and Amazon-powered accessories. This marks the first time Amazon has used college athletes for promotional purposes. Angel Reese & Flau’jae Johnson Shine in Amazon’s […]
Shaquille O’Neal and Angel Reese have struck a bond rooted in their status as LSU athletes. The two recently linked up on TikTok and filmed a video to Latto and Cardi B’s banger “Put It On Da Floor Again.” Reese appeared in the video for the single with the two rappers.
When it comes to LSU sports, Shaq would know a thing or two. The Big Fella donned the purple and gold for the Tigers during his collegiate career.
Speaking on his The Big Podcast with Shaq, the legend stated Angel Reese is the greatest athlete to come out of the sports programs at LSU.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU Sports,” Shaq said. “You heard it here first. Man and female.”
Shaq would clarify that he includes himself in the comparison and Reese is better than him. “Because guess what? She delivered that package. A lot of people got the package still in our truck. She delivered the package.”
That package, of course, is a championship. Adding to her legacy, she got her 34th double-double in the NCAA championship game, becoming the most in a single season in women’s college basketball history.
You can hear Shaq give Reese her props below.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU sports. … Male and female.”
Angel Reese is currently in León, Mexico as part of Team USA for the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Team USA, the two-time defending champions, were drawn into a group with Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Venezuela. Reese was perhaps the most known player on a roster of standout collegiate talent. Well, it is perhaps fairer to say that Reese’s ascension to the top of the basketball world makes her the best-known mainstream player.
Furthermore, Reese continued to display excellent basketball as the team cruised through their early matches. In games against Venezuela and Argentina, Reese had 16 points and 24 rebounds. However, the team’s July 4 game against Brazil was their toughest yet. Brazil was running a veteran roster, with just one player born after 2000. Team USA lost 67-54, with the game being especially humbling for Reese. The LSU star had just three points and three rebounds in the loss. UCLA’s Lauren Betts led the team with 11 points and 15 rebounds.
Reese Bounces Back Against Cuba
DALLAS, TEXAS – APRIL 02: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers looks on during the third quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
However, Reese didn’t let the poor performance get to her too much. She bounced back in Team USA’s final game of the group stage against Cuba. Team USA absolutely dominated the Cuban team, winning 106-44. Reese had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Betts once again led the team, putting up 17 points and 14 rebounds of her own. While the opposition may have been subpar, it was absolutely the sort of gimme game the team needed heading into the knockout stages.
Group B is still being decided at the time of writing. However, Team US will likely face either Colombia or Mexico. While neither team should be taken lightly, it’s a game that Team USA should win. However, that will likely set up their next major test – a semifinal against Canada. The Candian is a mix of professional and collegiate talent. They also have 17-year-old star Syla Swords, who is ranked #22 in the 2024 recruiting class. If they can get past Canada, that will likely set up a rematch with Brazil in the final. Regardless, it’s good to see Angel Reese being able to overcome a tough game with a standout performance.
Flau’jae Johnson recently opened up to Uproxx about winning LSU’s first NCAA Division I basketball championship this April and celebrating that win while her song, “Big 4,” filled the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
“The fact that I’m being recognized for my music as well as my basketball at the highest level, that was a breathtaking moment for me,” Johnson said. “Both of my lives crossed over how I wanted it to. It was an amazing feeling. It felt like a movie.”
Johnson joined The Baller Alert Show for its June 10 episode and was asked around the 28-minute mark why she wasn’t in the video alongside Reese.
“Angel, she loves doing videos,” Johnson said. “She’s a cute girl. You know what I’m saying? Like, that’s her thing. … So, Latto, she hit me about it, like, the day before.”
Johnson explained that she told Latto she was in Los Angeles but could still “make it happen,” leading to confusion when the video came out without her involvement.
“Her people never hit my people,” she continued. “But I had seen — she had asked Angel like a week before. You feel me? I was like, OK, maybe she really ain’t want me in the video, for real, but she had to ask me because we had kind of a relationship before, and she put Angel in it. But I was like, I didn’t really care ’cause Angel was in it, and that was a big moment for women’s basketball.”
Still, Johnson can’t help but wonder “why wouldn’t you put me in it? It just makes sense.”
Watch Johnson’s full The Baller Alert Show episode above.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Latto dropped the video to her remix of “Put It On Da Floor” (“Put It On Da Floor Again”) late on June 1. The remix features Cardi B and features the pair running riot in a grocery store. Also featured in the remix, in a brief cameo, is LSU superstar Angel Reese. Reese is college basketball’s it girl right now, shooting to national prominence after a standout 2022-23 campaign. Furthermore, Reese also recently linked up with Karl-Anthony Towns for a new commercial to air during the NBA Finals.
Worlds further collided thanks to one of Cardi B’s lines in the song. At one point in her verse, Cardi drops the bar, “I been ballin’ so damn hard, could’ve went to LSU.” The music video is currently #3 on YouTube’s music trending page. However, it’s not the only LSU connection to “Put It On Da Floor” in recent weeks. Star freshman Flau’jae Johnson was forced to apologize after adding a 9/11 reference to her own freestyle remix.
Following the release of the music video, LSU was quick to respond to the shoutout. “ok @iamcardib we’re ready for you,” the account for the women’s basketball team tweeted out. They included an image of Cardi B in an LSU jersey and an insert of her tweet shouting out her shout-out. After the video dropped, Cardi had tweeted “I BEEN BALLIN SO DEUM HARD COULD OF BEEN TO LSUUUU !!!!!!!” in response to someone pointing out the Reese cameo.
If Cardi accepts, she would be the latest in a long line of stars to link up with the team. Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, and Ja Morant have all been seen with various members of the team. Furthermore, Cardi’s 5″3 frame wouldn’t prevent her from shooting some hoops in Baton Rogue. According to the NCAA, there was one 5″2 player (McKenna Hofschild, Colorado State) and two 5″4 players (Addie Porter, Chattanooga, and Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall) last season. If Cardi does accept the invite, you know we’ll have all the details here at HotNewHipHop.
Angel Reese is the it girl of college basketball right now. After transferring from Maryland to LSU ahead of the 2022-23 season, all she did was become a mainstream sensation and win a National Championship. Since then, she’s linked up with celebrities, appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and made a cameo in a Latto video. Additionally, she recently attended the White House, seemingly squashing the beef she generated with FLOTUS after LSU’s title run. Angel Reese is the big thing in college sports and only getting bigger.
Furthermore, Reese is set to helm a new superteam in Baton Rogue. LSU have added stars in Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow to their roster for the next season. LSU are currently among the favorites for the 2024 National Championship. However, she’s now telling all in a new interview with PEOPLE. Be it how the experience has changed her or what her day-to-day looks like now.
Angel Reese Breaks Down New Life
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 6: Flau’Jae Johnson and Angel Reese attend Angel Reese’s 21st Birthday Celebration at Revel on May 6, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
“I’ll go down in history for doing what I did, and our team will for winning. I’m happy we were able to do that for Louisiana,” Reese told PEOPLE on the set of a new commercial she’s filming. She also spoke on how the national spotlight has helped shape her in recent months. “It’s a blessing, honestly. I’ve kind of embraced it. People are watching me,” she says. “I mean, it’s a fast life I’m living. I think I have to mature quickly.”
However, she also detailed how the attention has completely changed her college experience. “I don’t party, I don’t date, I’m just living my life,” Reese said.”I’m not really on campus much just because of my security work reasons, so I stay at my apartment and my teammates come over and we’ll eat. We’ll cook or we’ll do whatever, have fun, watch movies, listen to music, do whatever. TikTok.” Furthermore, she spoke about meeting Karl-Anthony Towns on the set of the commercial they were filming together. “Like, star-struck. Karl was just casually talking to me, and they watch my game. They respect women’s basketball and they were just telling me that everything I did was really monumental,” she said.
In an exciting development for basketball and soda enthusiasts alike, PepsiCo’s newest lemon-lime flavored soda, STARRY®, has emerged as the official soft drink of the NBA. And now, as the NBA Finals 2023, presented by YouTube TV, kicks off, STARRY® is set to dominate the court with its highly anticipated “3>2” campaign, which promises to add an extra sparkle to the game’s most thrilling moments. The campaign will launch during Game 1 of the Finals, capturing the attention of fans worldwide.
Building on its ongoing partnership with the NBA, STARRY® is introducing a series of innovative and entertaining initiatives that showcase a fun and comedic take on the origins of the 3-point shot. Anchoring the campaign is a captivating short film and commercial titled “3>2: A STARRY® Story,” featuring popular basketball stars Zion Williamson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Angel Reese, and Matt Barnes.
In this unique production, the audience is taken on a nostalgic journey through the 40-year legacy of the 3-pointer, narrated by STARRY® characters Lem and Lime. The film blends historical footage of the iconic shot with a fresh perspective, adding a distinct flavor that basketball fans will surely savor.
“3>2: A STARRY® Story” unfolds with Zion, Karl-Anthony, Angel, and Matt hosting a basketball camp for aspiring young players. The unexpected appearance of Lem and Lime sparks laughter as they recount the humorous and improbable tale of how they persuaded the NBA to embrace the 3-point shot. The duo’s storytelling highlights the transformative impact of the shot and its eventual widespread acceptance throughout the league. Notably, the film pays homage to Lem and Lime’s influential role in helping young talent like Jamal Murray develop their STARRY Range, propelling the 3-ball into the spotlight.
“STARRY is really bringing the fun to the game and we all had a great time on set shooting it together,” said basketball superstar, Angel Reese. “The attitude and personality of the brand shines bright, and I know fans are going to love the unique and creative STARRY take on how the 3-pointer came to be thanks to my new friends, Lem and Lime.”
“The conversations around the 3-pointer and its impact on the NBA have been debated far and wide, and we’re excited to tell the STARRY version of the history behind the shot that changed the game forever,” said Michael Smith, senior director of STARRY brand marketing. “As a fresh new brand and the official soft drink of the NBA, we wanted to embrace hoops culture during a pivotal moment in the NBA season and give fans something fun to talk about in a way that only STARRY could.”
Complementing the short film, STARRY® is launching the “Dial A 3” hotline, inviting fans to engage with the campaign in a playful and interactive way. The hotline offers fans a chance to immerse themselves in the world of Lem and Lime while enjoying witty banter, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and exclusive content. Fans tuning in can dial 1-833-3PT-SHOT for a chance to win 3 tickets to the 3-Point COntest during NBA All-Star Weekend 2024, a 3-Wheeler, 3 autographed jerseys from 3 professional basketball players, 3-piece suit, 3 reclines for the ultimate NBA viewing experience, 3 3-legged STARRY branded barstools and more.
These ladies are making headlines in the entertainment world with exciting updates and collaborations. The buzz is growing from Halle Bailey’s much-anticipated release of The Little Mermaid live-action film to Sexxy Red and Kali landing a feature with Nicki Minaj. Halle Bailey Makes A Splash With “The Little Mermaid” The new Ariel, Halle Bailey, has […]
The day many thought might not happen finally arrived. There was always some doubt that LSU’s visit to the White House might not go ahead. Angel Reese, the team star and unofficial leader, very publicly beefed with the White House after comments made by Dr. Jill Biden. Reese went as far as to joke about visiting the Obamas instead before confirming that she would respect the team’s decision to visit the White House.
The first sports teams to be invited to the White House were two amateur baseball teams in 1865. It quickly became a tradition amongst professional teams. In 1976, the Indiana Hoosiers Men’s Basketball team became the first collegiate visitors to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It has since become an annual tradition for collegiate champions to visit the President in the months after their title.
LSU Mark Memorable White House Visit
Of course, the final chapter of the LSU’s White House saga wouldn’t be complete without a little drama. During President Biden’s remarks, freshman forward Sa’Myah Smith fainted. She was immediately swarmed by her team as the live stream cut out. However, President Biden could be heard reassuring the crowd. Later, Biden apologized, “It’s a lot of standing,” Biden said. “I apologize. It’s OK. It’s happened lots of times.” A few minutes later, head coach Kim Mulkey gave a quick update on Smith. “As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey said. “Sa’Myah planned that. No, Sa’Myah is fine, for those of you who are concerned. I’ll assure you of that. … She doesn’t want to leave. She wants to stand with us but she needs to be checked out.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Biden and Angel Reese appeared to squash their beef. Reese presented the Bidens with a custom LSU jersey before embracing the first lady, Dr. Jill Biden. Dr. Biden had been the primary target of Reese’s wrath after the National Championship Game. This was due to Dr. Biden’s comments that appeared to imply that she intended to invite National Runners-up Iowa to the White House as well. However, the two appear to have no bad blood now.
Mielle, the rapidly expanding multicultural hair care brand, has recently announced its partnership with Angel Reese, a rising star from LSU. This collaboration marks Reese’s first significant beauty endorsement. As an ambassador for Mielle, Reese will be involved in various marketing initiatives, social media campaigns, events, and a special limited-edition product bundle.
In the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball March Madness tournament, Angel Reese played a pivotal role in guiding the LSU Lady Tigers to victory in the National Championship game against the University of Iowa’s Hawkeyes. Her exceptional performance earned her the title of Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. Standing at an impressive height of 6’3″, Reese is recognized for her basketball skills and stylish off-court appearance. With her long, flowing hair and impeccable makeup, including perfectly groomed edges and stunning lashes, Reese has garnered attention for her glamorous look. Her notable presence extended to the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue pages, where she was featured.
Mielle and Angel Reese are at the forefront of merging the worlds of sports and beauty, aiming to bridge the gap between the two. Reese has been vocal about the missed opportunities for beauty and hair care brands to collaborate with college athletes and athletes in general. In a recent interview, she expressed her admiration for her curls and her desire to work with Mielle. Recognizing Reese’s affinity for the brand, Mielle proactively reached out to the talented sophomore All-American, leading to a natural and authentic collaboration between the two.
“Athletes are the ideal beauty icons and brand ambassadors,” said Reese. “I put it out there that I wanted to work with more beauty brands, and I’m so excited to be working with Mielle! I’m a longtime user and fan of the brand so this is the perfect partnership. I can’t wait to share more with my fans and introduce my new Mielle bundle. The last several months have been a whirlwind. I feel really blessed.”
“Angel is a rising star with bold beauty, confidence, strength and must-have edges who uses and genuinely loves Mielle products. Angel’s fun personality and ability to connect authentically with her fans make her a perfect addition to the Mielle family. She is THAT girl, and we are so thrilled to have her as our newest ambassador,” shared Mielle’s founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez.
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