Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark embraced briefly in the handshake line after the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the LSU Tigers in the Elite Eight. During her after-game media briefing, Reese disclosed her message to Clark as Iowa advanced to the Final Four.
“She just told me, ‘Keep being a great player.’ And I told her, ‘You keep being a great player, too, and continue raising the game and go win it,'” Reese stated on April 1.
Despite the result, Reese had an outstanding game, scoring 17 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, making 4 assists, 3 blocks, and two steals against Iowa. Reese also played with an ankle injury for most of the game. The Hawkeyes were able to outplay the Tigers after LSU had beaten Iowa in the 2023 national championship.
Here’s a glimpse of Reese and Clark sharing a moment after the game.
Angel Reese Considering WNBA? The LSU Forward Is Predicted to be a Top-10 Selection If She Joins the Draft
After the loss, Reese remained undecided about her future for next season. Reese is anticipated to be a high draft pick if she enters the 2024 WNBA draft.
The forward has also left the possibility open for a potential return to LSU. ESPN’s Michael Voepel predicts Reese going to the Minnesota Lynx as the 7th pick in his most recent mock draft.
“The Lynx do not have an apparent gap in their roster, so they are likely to seek the best available player,” Voepel described in a March 12 article titled, “WNBA mock draft 2024: Clark a lock at No. 1, but who’s next?” “There have been many inquiries about how Reese’s skills will translate at the professional level, but the Lynx might find value in her rebounding and defensive abilities. (Could return to college for 2024-25.)”
Angel Reese on Struggles Since Winning the Championship: ‘I Haven’t Been Happy Since Then’
Reese was honest about the difficulties she has encountered since LSU won the championship in 2023. The Tigers' star disclosed that she has received death threats over the past year.
“I’ve been through so much,” Reese explained. “I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times, received death threats. I’ve been sexualized. I’ve been threatened. I’ve encountered so many things, and I’ve remained strong every single time.
“I just try to stay strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them. I just want them to always know, I’m still a human. All this has happened since I won the national championship, and I said the other day, I haven’t been happy since then.”
Caitlin Clark on Final Four: ‘We Want to Win Two More’
As for Clark, Iowa faces Connecticut with a place in the national championship game at stake. Iowa is a 2.5-point favorite against UConn in the Final Four matchup.
“You enjoy this and then you get to Cleveland and you begin preparing for your next game,” Clark mentioned during an April 1 media briefing. “We want to win two more, and I think we have the ability to do that.”
