After a fairytale 2023 NCAA championship run, LSU’s Angel Reese was the epicenter of basketball glory. She had built a highly enticing brand image off the court and landed a ton of NIL deals. However, the 2023-24 season became a turbulent experience for her, largely due to off-court issues. During an emotional press conference after the loss yesterday against the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes, Reese talked about the abuse and hate she has faced following the 2023 Championship run. While discussing her comments on Undisputed earlier today, 10x NBA All-Star, Paul Pierce, had some solid advice for the LSU star, as someone who could relate to the struggles of achieving fame.
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Pierce showcased empathy and also pointed out that Reese has been paying the price of success. He highlighted how as a “woman in sports” challenges are multifold because of the added scrutiny that follows fame. The Truth pointed out how “being on top” can lead to unwarranted name-calling and aversion. While relaying these thoughts, he also gave a message to the 2023 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player of the Year.
“Everybody is not gonna like you, everybody is not gonna agree with you. Everybody is not gonna be on your side. That’s what success is all about. This is just her first run-in with this. As she gets older and moves on, if she comes back to LSU and win again, or go to the WNBA and continues to grow her brand, she will understand this is what comes with it,” Paul Pierce said on Undisputed.
Thus, the 2008 NBA champion urged the 6’3” Center to adapt to such harsh challenges. He wants the 21-year-old to be ready for her future quests without letting detractors influence her well-being. For Reese, the emotional response was also a result of a controversial LA Times article published recently.
Angel Reese and LSU were targeted by an LA Times article
Writing for the LA Times, Ben Bolch previewed the Sweet 16 battle between LSU and UCLA. His article dubbed Angel Reese and her Tigers as “villains” while UCLA was painted in a virtuous light. However, what elicited the charge of racism and sexism was Bolch’s usage of the term “dirty debutantes”. LSU coach Kim Mulkey found the article deplorable and questioned the portrayal of her young team as “evil” while also conveying that the piece had “sexist” undertones. After her comments, the LA Times editorial board decided to cut the controversial bits in the article and apologized for the same.
Angel Reese’s image in the media has been questioned since the 2023 title game. She did the John Cena “You Can’t See Me’ celebration in the face of Caitlin Clark as the Iowa Hawkeyes were about to lose the championship. She taunted the Hawkeyes guard who had used the celebration in her previous fixtures. However, many in the media and fan spaces saw this as disrespectful.
This was one of the major things that attracted a ton of negative attention. Apart from that, her suspension during the season and some other controversies off the court gave her detractors more fuel. In addition, her NSFW deepfakes added to her misery. Therefore, this was a traumatic season for one of the best hoopers in LSU history.
