LSU star forward Angel Reese, who helped propel women's college basketball into the national spotlight and won a championship in 2023, has announced she is leaving school a year early and will enter the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Reese will be forever linked to Iowa star Caitlin Clark — and while Clark is certain to be selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick, Reese very well could go to the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 2. Each franchise undoubtedly would fit their individual personalities very well.
Reese and the Tigers defeated Clark and the Hawkeyes in last year's title game — and then were eliminated by those same Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight game on Monday night in Albany, New York. It was among the most-watched spring events of the year, outdrawing every college football game except Ohio State-Michigan, as well as the NBA Finals.
Now, Reese is joining Clark in the pros, making the announcement in Vogue.
"I want to start at the bottom again," she told the outlet. "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."
As Vogue also wrote:
"To summarize: After two seasons at the University of Maryland — with Reese sidelined for months during the first year with a foot injury — she transferred to LSU to play under legendary coach Kim Mulkey, and a whirlwind junior year ensued. Adoring fans nicknamed Reese the Bayou Barbie — a wink to her signature long lashes, cascading hairstyles, bold manicures, and unapologetic love of fashion."
The 2024 WNBA Draft is set for Monday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. EST. It can safely be said this will be the most-watched WNBA Draft in history, given that Reese and Clark will now be among those selected.
That's a no-brainer, and some will tell you that Reese's decision to go pro is, too.
