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Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky star and recent LSU graduate, has delivered a powerful message to her critics. After being picked No. 7 in the WNBA draft in April, Reese has wrapped up her collegiate career in style, donning a graduation cap and gown in a series of triumphant photos shared on Instagram and X. "So now what? what was said? oh okay that's what I thought," Reese captioned the photos. "I graduated from THE LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN 4 YEARS ON TIME. I thought somebody without a college degree said sum."
The pointed message appears to be directed at Kia Brooks, the mother of Reese's ex-LSU teammate Flau'jae Johnson. The tension between Reese's family and Brooks erupted earlier this season when Reese was unexpectedly benched in November, a decision LSU head coach Kim Mulkey described as a "coach's decision." This led to a heated exchange on Instagram between Reese's mother, Angel Webb Reese, and Brooks.
Webb Reese sparked the online feud with a jab at Brooks's communication skills, writing, "Folks pls do not send me long text msgs with a bunch of grammatical errors it gives me a headache." Brooks fired back, questioning Reese's academic performance with a scathing comment: "You definitely know about grammar errors when your daughter got a 2.0 or less GPA...Stop being petty, fake and hateful. And take responsibility for you and your daughter's actions."
The online spat intensified with Brooks implying that Reese's success was borrowed fame, stating, "Just like God gave it to you he will take right away. Always stay humble and never forget who made you and where you came from!!" Despite the drama, Reese remained focused and determined, using her graduation as a platform to silence the doubters and reaffirm her academic success.
Reese stands strong amidst controversy, gains support from teammates
In addition to her graduation photos, Reese reposted a November 19th tweet that highlighted the controversy surrounding her alleged low GPA and the public argument between Webb Reese and Brooks. Reese also shared her mother's fierce defense on Instagram, stating, "My momma said what she said." Webb Reese's post emphasized the family's academic achievements and resilience: "I hv a college degree as well as my ex-husband (my kids' father for y'all nosy folks) so yeah we both set an example in that regard."
Despite LSU's elimination from the NCAA Tournament by Iowa in the Elite Eight, Johnson defended Reese's character, saying, "Everybody can have their opinion on Angel Reese, but y'all don't know her... I know the real Angel Reese and the person I see every day is a strong person, is a caring, loving person." Johnson's words underscored the support and camaraderie within the team.
With her degree in hand and a promising WNBA career ahead, Reese is poised to make her mark on the professional stage. Her graduation not only marks the end of an era but also the beginning of a new chapter filled with potential and success.