Angel Reese’s return to basketball should not be overshadowed by the overarching message that her humanity matters.
The last several days have been a whirlwind for the LSU Lady Tigers. Reese’s mysterious four-game benching sent shockwaves through college basketball circles as many began to wonder: where was Angel Reese?
Head coach Kim Mulkey did little to shed any light on what may have been happening behind the scenes, instead opting to remain relatively mum and let the storylines go as they may.
However, Angel spoke her truth to the media on Thursday after a solid 19-point performance against Virginia Tech. She credited words of encouragement from her mentor, Shaquille O’Neal, and a mental health break as critical parts of her journey to return.
Angel Reese, following No. 7 LSU’s 82–64 victory over No. 9 Virginia Tech on Thursday night, discusses her return to the Tigers after a 4-game absence. https://t.co/LvUvs5JUb3 pic.twitter.com/irMiq9YuhD
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) December 1, 2023
Angel: "I want people to realize that I'm not just an athlete. I'm a human. I go through things. We all go through things, just being able to have so many people that were super supportive to me in this past week and a half really showed me a lot, who really cares for me."
— Reed Darcey (@byreeddarcey) December 1, 2023
Still, something must be said about how this situation was handled.
Mulkey and Reese likely decided she needed a mental break after the rough start to the season. LSU was stunned by Colorado, and days later, midway through a game against Kent State, Mulkey realized that Reese was still not playing her best and benched her for a much-needed reset.
That’s completely valid reasoning, and Reese nor Mulkey owed anyone an explanation for that.
But Mulkey spent nearly two weeks NOT protecting Reese by giving non-answers on her high-profile athlete. That presents a problem when that athlete is a young, outspoken and competitive woman of color — perception matters.
Kim Mulkey on Angel Reese: #LSU pic.twitter.com/TXpzSwbgmy
— Cory Diaz (@ByCoryDiaz) November 21, 2023
After all, Reese sparked a national dialogue about women in sports simply by doing what she saw her peers, like Caitlin Clark and many other male athletes, levy against opponents. Since that moment, the narratives on Reese have run the gamut, and Mulkey has allowed them to, despite having a platform that she continually affirms is for her athletes.
Reese, who credits Mulkey as a massive reason she is at LSU, has essentially pledged her success to Kim, saying, “You need a Kim Mulkey in your life.”
But Mulkey should remember: she also needs Reese. Parts of her 700 career wins as a coach and a fourth national title wouldn’t have happened without Reese’s unyielding allegiance.
It doesn’t happen without recognizing the humans behind the magic.
From the people who helped @KimMulkey reach 700 wins quicker than any other coach ever before #Mulkey700 pic.twitter.com/MqsdUVBTDc
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) December 1, 2023
