College Friendship Strains as Angel Reese Overlooked by Ex-LSU Teammate Backing Unrivaled Opponent

A series of investors, some reputed faces of the WNBA, an all-women broadcast team, and a thrilling showdown between co-founders. What else do you need for a successful debut? But there was much more than this. The debut wasn’t just about incredible gameplay; it also stirred up some drama off the court. It all came after Angel Reese’s face-off against Vinyl BC. However, it wasn’t just the game but the Twitter post that came afterward.

From making the first bucket for her team to launching the first double-double for Unrivaled, the 22-year-old Maryland native left no stone unturned to leave an indelible impact. But despite her heroic efforts, Rose endured a defeat at the hands of the opponent.

Right after the game, former teammate, Flau’jae Johnson took it to her official X account and penned, “Now y’all know Arike is my fav player ever,” signaling loyalty lying for Arike Ogunbowale, on the opponent’s side. Since Ogunbowale had 10 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists, it seems normal for Johnson to give her the flowers.

That too when the Vinyl BC star had the final assist to Dearica Hamby, who secured the winning basket. However, it’s not as simple as it seems. Considering Reese and Johnson were teammates at LSU, the former’s impressive showcase, involving 10 points and 12 rebounds, going unnoticed raises eyebrows. More so, considering their assurance to support each other despite the apparent drifting dynamic.

Reese and Johnson shared a close bond during the Chicago Sky star’s days at LSU. But as they went separate ways, the dynamic hasn’t been the same. And both have been vocal about it.

“Yeah, Angel and I aren’t as close as we used to be,” Johnson admitted in September, and it seems the tension runs deeper than just a few words. It all seems to have stemmed from a disagreement between their mothers. Speculations suggest Reese’s mom pointing out some grammatical mistakes made by Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, might have escalated things.

USA Today via Reuters

In the days that followed, Reese did not make it to Johnson’s birthday and neither made each other’s ‘top 5 players list’ under the category they were eligible for. But both have ensured their support for the other no matter the gap we notice.

“I still support Flau’jae. We aren’t as close as we used to be,” Reese had said on ‘Unapologetically Angel,’ while Johnson shared, “I still support her a thousand percent.” She also added that she was proud of Reese for making it to the W and proving all the naysayers wrong with her records. So while the LSU junior might not have a post for Reese, there sure is silent support.