Shaq is one of the most iconic NBA players of all time. The former Lakers big man isn’t one to forget his roots. The LSU star loves to give back to the university and has been a part of many big moments. However, O’Neal believes the recent stardom of the LSU Women’s Basketball star is the biggest he has ever seen at the university. Reese helped lead the Tigers to a National Championship earlier this month. Since the win, everyone has been clamoring for a chance to interview the basketball star.
O’Neal doesn’t hold back on his own greatest. Superman doesn’t allow others to tug on his cap. However, the NBA Hall-of-Famer is okay with giving Reese the title of greatest LSU athlete of all time. “[Angel’s] probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU Sports.” O’Neal went on to give his reasoning behind his statement. He claims that Reese brought the goods back to campus. Meaning she succeeded in her National Championship quest. Whereas O’Neal left college empty-handed.
Shaq Sees Amazing Talent In Angel Reese
“[Angel’s] probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU Sports.”
The Big Aristotle even compared Reese to other LSU stars in defending her crown. O’Neal mentioned Burrow bring home the goods. But the former Lakers big says Reese is a superior athlete to Burrow. Whatever your opinions may be, those three will now be forever enshrined in an Mt. Rushmore of LSU athletes. Reese’s talents weren’t the only thing that caught the attention of the media during her Final Four run. Her in-game celebration caught some flack from some who felt it might have been over the top.
It has always been the case that when Shaq speaks, we listen. Reese has a big supporter in O’Neal, and for good reason. Only a select few athletes get the opportunity to call themselves a national champion. Reese has now entered that elite conversation. Similarly, not many can claim to be one of the greatest athletes in their university’s history. However, Reese continues to break down barriers that many never believed a woman’s athlete was capable of. Do you agree with O’Neal’s statement on Reese? If not Reese, who is the greatest athlete to ever attend LSU? Let us know your opinions in the comment section. For the latest news in sports, keep it right here with HNHH.
LSU basketball star Angel Reese will make the White House trip after all. Reese originally denied the championship customary pull-up after First Lady Jill Biden thought it would be cool to invite both the LSU Tigers and the team they beat, the Iowa Hawkeyes.
“You don’t get that experience ever … and I know my team probably wants to go for sure, and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team and we’ve decided we’re going to go,” Reese said to Sportscenter.
She added, “I’m a team player. I’m going to do what’s best for the team. I’m the captain.”
Angel Reese is continuing her media tour after helping the LSU Tigers win the National Championship. The Final Four MVP has made headline after headline with her style of play. However, not all of the headlines were for her performance. But about her style of celebration. There’s been a lot of talk about Reese’s taunting of Iowa player Caitlin Clark during the National Championship. Since the moment became an issue, Clark has come out in support of Reese and her actions.
The story of Reese’s celebration has slowly turned into just a player showing her emotions. Reese is an athlete performing at the highest level. Sometimes emotions will get involved when you care as much as Reese. On Friday, Reese made a guest appearance on ESPN’s First Take. The college basketball star discussed a few different topics. One of those topics was on the confidence she carries on the court. Reese mentioned that her confidence isn’t something that evolved. But rather something that comes naturally.
Angel Reese Thanks Mother For Confidence
.@Reese10Angel spoke about the confidence she gets from her mom
“Looking at her and seeing how she never backed down to anything. She always stood her ground … Being able to just look at her and say ‘Mom, you showed me. You paved the way for me.'” @itsthebaldgirlpic.twitter.com/OsV73nzSDf
“Looking at her and seeing how she never backed down to anything. She always stood her ground … Being able to just look at her and say ‘Mom, you showed me. You paved the way for me,” stated Reese. Reese gushed about how her mother was the perfect example for her growing up. The LSU star even gave her mom a special shoutout during her interview. Many in the media have had their opinions on Reese since the Final Four. However, her interview on Friday shows just how level-headed the basketball star truly is.
Angel Reese is a great story for many reasons. Firstly, as Reese has mentioned recently, she can be a shining example for younger girls who look like her. Next, she is a perfect example of how the transfer portal is beneficial to college athletes. Lastly, she has proven that sports are supposed to be fun. But yet, some want to focus on stories that should have never gotten as big as they did. Reese and Clark have proven that Women’s College Basketball has the star power to bring in viewership. For the latest news on women’s basketball, keep it locked in here at HNHH.
The LSU Women’s Basketball team is having quite the year after securing their first title in the program’s history. Winning the 2023 NCAA National Championship title over Iowa has sparked controversy and praise worldwide. LSU players were not pleased when Dr. Jill Biden invited both teams to the White House, an honor usually reserved only for the winning champions. This didn’t sit well with star Angel Reese or any other members of the team. Now, actress Gabrielle Union is coming to their defense
On Wednesday, Union penned a sweet Instagram message to the predominantly Black basketball team. The Deliver Us From Eva star shared a photo of the LSU players and wrote: “Black women deserve to be celebrated, applauded, encouraged, and uplifted. For far too long, we’ve carried the weight of others on our backs, shoulders, bosoms, and heads. Now is our time to be seen in every form of the human experience, whether in loss, grief, or celebration.”
Both sports fans and commentators have slammed the LSU ladies, specifically Reese, for poor sportsmanship. This was specifically due to a famous John Cena hand gesture she made on the court directed at Iowa star Caitlin Clark. However, Union, like many others, alluded to the ladies being wrongly viewed as confrontational on the court, adding: “To every Black woman who has felt misunderstood, under-appreciated, or unseen, this is your permission to be unapologetically you.”
Reese has emerged as the unofficial spokesperson and villain of the team for her honesty. Despite Dr. Biden’s apology, the 20-year-old made headlines when she said the players would not be attending the White House. LSU’s athletic department has confirmed the team will be in attendance at the White House, though it’s unclear if Reese herself will join her teammates. She’d previously shared that she’d prefer to meet former first lady Michelle Obama instead. The uproar surrounding Reese has reminded sports fans of track star Sha’Carri Richardson. Her outspokenness fueled much hate, leaving many unfond of her. Knowing the burden of such critique, Richardson has also lent her support to the LSU women’s team.
The Louisiana State University Tiger’s women’s basketball team defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 this past Sunday to claim their first NCAA women’s basketball national championship. The game had the highest viewership of any women’s college basketball event in history, with an average of 9.9 million viewers. Much of this was due to the excitement surrounding star players Angel Reese of LSU and Caitlin Clark of Iowa. Both players were recognized as two of the best in the nation, yet Reese came out on top, as she contributed 15 points, ten rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block during the game.
Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark Controversy
DALLAS, TEXAS – APRIL 02: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers reacts towards Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the fourth quarter 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)
Along with her outstanding performance, Reese also made headlines for performing Clark’s “You Can’t See Me” taunt during the game. The gesture sparked controversy online as many fans speculated that there was “beef” between the two players. Reese responded to this outrage in her post-game interview. In reference to the backlash she received versus fans’ more positive reactions to Clark, Reese stated, “All year I was critiqued about who I was. … I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing.”
Reese also posted a picture of the gesture to her Twitter account after the game, which created even more buzz. Needless to say, Angel Reese has established herself as one of the country’s best women’s college basketball players and also created quite a few headlines for herself over the past week. Let’s look further into Angel Reese’s life and basketball career.
Family History
Angel Reese was born on May 6, 2002, in Randallstown, Maryland. Her mother, Angel, and her father, Michael, were collegiate basketball players. The elder Angel played for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, before embarking on a professional career in Luxembourg. Her father competed for both Boston College and Loyola (Maryland).
Basketball runs in Reese’s blood, as Angel’s younger brother, Julian, is also a collegiate basketball player for the University of Maryland. Her step-brother, Mikael Hopkins, played basketball at Georgetown and plays professionally in Italy. Her cousin, Jordan Hawkins, plays for the UConn Huskies men’s team and won a national championship this year.
High School Career
DALLAS, TX – MARCH 30: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers during media day at 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four at the at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on March 29, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Angel Reese was a four-year varsity player in high school at basketball powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. While in high school, Reese led St. Frances Academy to three consecutive Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) championships. During her time at St. Frances, Reese averaged 18 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists per game. The Baltimore Sun honored Reese as the Player of the Year in her junior and senior seasons from 2018-2020. In addition, ESPN listed Reese as the No. 2 ranked women’s basketball recruit in the nation for the 2020 recruiting class.
Reese finished her career at St. Frances Academy with the second-most career points scored in school history. The school retired her number 10 jersey number, and she was the first player to receive this honor in St. Frances’ history. Angel also played volleyball for the school and led the team to two IAAM championships. Reese also played for Team Takeover on the AAU circuit and helped the team win the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League championship in 2019.
Reese’s Time At The University of Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, MD – DECEMBER 03: Angel Reese #10 of the Maryland Terrapins handles the ball against the Towson Tigers at Xfinity Center on December 3, 2020 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins /Getty Images)
Upon graduating high school, Angel Reese committed to the University of Maryland in her home state. She chose Maryland over offers from USC, South Carolina, Syracuse, and Tennessee. Reese’s relationship with Maryland’s head coach, Brenda Frese, significantly influenced her commitment. Reese became the highest-ranked recruit in the program’s history.
As a Freshman, Reese suffered a Jones Fracture in her foot that sidelined her from December 3rd to February 23rd. Despite this, she averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds in 15 games off the bench for Maryland. Angel earned Big Ten conference All-Freshman honors at the end of the season. In her Sophomore season, Reese assumed a much more significant role at Maryland, as she started 31 games for the Terrapins. Reese averaged 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the season, becoming the first women’s player at Maryland to average a double-double since 1975. Angel also led Maryland to the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA tournament, earning first-team All-Big Ten and All-Defensive team honors. The Associated Press also named Angel Reese as a third-team All-American.
On April 5, 2022, Angel Reese entered the transfer portal hoping to join a team with a winning culture. Before deciding to commit to LSU, Reese took visits to South Carolina and Tennessee. On May 6, Angel officially committed to LSU and decided due to her trust in LSU’s coach Kim Mulkey and her desire to win a national championship. In her junior year with LSU, Reese became one of the nation’s best women’s basketball players.
In her first season at LSU this year, Reese broke LSU’s record for consecutive double-doubles. She also broke the single-game rebounding record with 28 rebounds in a single game. On February 16, 2023, she recorded a career-high 36 points and also contributed 20 rebounds in a game against Ole Miss. She finished the season averaging 23 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.
As mentioned, Reese led LSU to their first national championship in women’s basketball this year. Angel received the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Additionally, Reese earned unanimous first-team All-American, first-team All-SEC, and SEC All-Defensive Team honors.
Reese’s Off-Court Personality & Successes
“We’ll go to the Obama’s. We’ll see Michelle. We’ll see Barack.”⁰⁰LSU Women’s Basketball star Angel Reese doesn’t accept First Lady Jill Biden’s apology
Angel Reese has been nicknamed the “Bayou Barbie” due to her personality and style away from the basketball court. Her success as an athlete has also led to many NIL deals, allowing college athletes to be paid for their likenesses by outside companies. Reese has NIL deals with companies such as Amazon, XFinity, Outback Steakhouse, Wingstop, and the fashion brand Coach. After receiving her deal from Coach, Reese gave bags to her LSU teammates. Angel Reese will not be eligible to enter the WNBA draft until 2024, yet her recent successes and captivating off-the-court personality excite fans for her future.
Angel Reese has become a household name. Reese has been the most talked about athlete in sports media this week. With her LSU Tigers cutting down the nets in the Women’s Final Four and her on-the-court celebrations. However, what has been lost in all the commotion this week has been her play. Reese earned MVP of the Final Four, and rightfully so. LSU was the better team in the National Championship. But Iowa may still be getting the same accolades.
First Lady Jill Biden reportedly wants to extend a White House visit to LSU and Iowa. A White House visit normally is only extended to the champions of said sport. However, Biden believes that both participants should enjoy the honorary visit. Word of the potential joint visit quickly spread across social media. With LSU’s star expressing her opinion on the situation. In a tweet on the situation, Reese stated the joint visit would be “A JOKE.”
This would be the first time that a losing team would join a champion during the White House visit. While the invitation hasn’t been extended to Iowa, one would assume the Hawkeyes would not accept anyway. The LSU program deserves its roses. The Tigers are the superior team in the women’s college basketball landscape. Angel Reese and her team deserve the White House moment on a pedestal alone. Not with the team they defeated. With all the discussion on the situation, the invitation to Iowa will likely never make its way to the team. Probably better that it doesn’t.
There have been many off-the-court stories hitting headlines from the Women’s Final Four. However, we can’t take away from the product on the court. These women outshined the Men’s Final Four. From South Carolina to Caitlin Clark, the games were entertaining. Ultimately, LSU and Reese have earned their moment to soak up the Sun. What are your thoughts on First Lady Biden’s invitation to the Iowa team? Drop your thoughts on the topic in the comment section below. For the latest in sports, stay locked in with HNHH.
If there is one thing LSU Women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey knows how to do besides winning (and retaining a major ego), it is pulling off showstopper looks courtside. You might have seen a couple of her looks already on social media since she happens to be trending on TikTok. Most of her outfits contain a statement blazer, sweater, or business-approved high heels.
The Lady Tigers’ coach is winning both on the court, and in her closet. According to WBRZ, Queen of Sparkles boutique owner and designer Jamie Glas is responsible for designing some of her most iconic pieces. Kim Mulkey is clearly not a minimalist when it comes to her fashion choices, making statements with every new look. Additionally, statements are also made on the court, with her team holding a record of 24-1 and placing 2nd in the SEC thus far.
A Look into Kim Mulkey’s Wardrobe
I recently received unprecedented access to @LSUwbkb head coach @KimMulkey‘s closet. And it did not disappoint.
Kim Mulkey prefers to wear heels over any other footwear while coaching, giving her the unofficial title of best-dressed women’s coach. She wears satirical pieces adorned with sequin-embellished tigers that complement her team. Sequins are not the only material Mulkey is accustomed to sporting. Feathers seem to be her other best friend, wearing several pieces with feathers attached to the sleeves. “As far as the clothes are concerned, I have lots of friends. People know I love to dress up and they will see something in the stores and buy it and bring it by the house. I’ll either like it or I won’t like it. If I do, I’ll give them a check for it. I really don’t know all the new styles. I leave that up to people much more knowledgeable than me. If it just feels good and looks good on me, I wear it.” Kim Mulkey tells The Advocate.
There is no question that her bold style choice coincides with her bold personality when coaching. On February 12th, the LSU Tigers faced their biggest challenge of the season playing the South Carolina Gamecocks. Although they lost by a tremendous 24 points, Mulkey never doubted the team. She maintained high spirits throughout the duration of the game. All in all, Kim Mulkey has remained a prominent figure in women’s college basketball and has now reached full-fledged fashion icon status.
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