Angel Reese just has a way of getting attention, whether you love her or hate her. It's just an occupational hazard of being immensely talented and, as she puts it, "unapologetically you" in the age of social media.
And whether it was tossing back the you-can't see me celebration at Caitlin Clark, ring-pointing a la Joe Burrow in 2019 or whatever else you'd like to point to, she has a way of drawing ire on the internet. It's a clear double-standard. The good news: She doesn't really care what you think.
"All year I was critiqued about who I was. The narrative, I don’t fit the narrative, I don’t fit the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood, I’m too ghetto," she said, champions hat on her head, cell phone in hand and crown in front of her on the table.
"Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all don’t say nothing," she continued. "So this is for the girls that look like me, that’s gonna speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you, and that’s what I did it for tonight. This was bigger than me tonight, it was bigger than me."
But no one was bigger than Reese in a season that saw her set a new NCAA record for double-doubles with 34, though she'd be the first to point out it was her teammates carrying the load in the second quarter as she sat with foul trouble. That run, highlighted by 21 first-half points from Jasmine Carson, truly set the Tigers up for victory in a 102-85 shootout. LSU set title game records for most points in quarter (32), most points in a half (59) and total points in a game.
Reese had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and was also named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Both Clark and Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder were asked about the ring-pointing moment, and neither had a particularly strong take. Clark indicated that she was unaware that anything had happened and that she was more concerned about being with her teammates.
"I'm sure [Reese] was really proud of her accomplishment. And I would be really proud of my accomplishment if I made it, won the national championship, too," Bluder said. "We're all different people, and we all have different ways to show our emotions. Again, I've got to focus on what I can control."
Reese's teammate Flau’jae Johnson shared a similar message.
"To all the young black girls, express yourself — on the court, off the court, be you — be you. If you want to be Angel Reese, be Angel Reese. Be you, be expressive," she said. "They don’t like us because we’re expressive. They call it unclassy but other people they’ll call it having grit and attitude. We just be us and that’s why we’re on top."
Still, even if Reese doesn't care, she still loves reading all the rage she's able to generate. She's even made sure to save screenshots of some of the most choice criticism, a statement that drew laughs from teammates Alexis Morris and Jasmine Carson, and led coach Kim Mulkey -- who regularly disavows social media -- to ask those seated next to her at the table what her player did to get the Twitterverse so mad.
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"Twitter is going to go in a rage every time, and I mean, I’m happy," she said. "I feel like I’ve helped grow women’s basketball this year. I’m super happy and excited, so I’m looking forward to celebrating and then next season.”
But at the end of the day, that's Angel. She's an LSU Tiger. She's the "Bayou Barbie." She's the queen of double-doubles. And as of Sunday, she's a national champion. Get used to it, she'll be back again soon.
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