“I was so scared to commit to LSU”: Angel Reese admits ditching Dawn Staley’s South Carolina and Tennessee because of Kim Mulkey

LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey, left, and forward Angel Reese talk during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Photo: Imagn

The dream partnership of Angel Reese and Kim Mulkey nearly didn’t happen. The Chicago Sky star said on Monday’s episode of “Unapologetically Angel” that she considered joining Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers before signing with the LSU Tigers.

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LSU Tigers coach Kim Mulkey sends star player Angel Reese back into the game against the Rice Owls during their clash at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Photo: Imagn

Reese welcomed her longtime manager, Jeanine Ogbonnaya, to her show, and they talked about Reese’s 2025 plans, her first conversations with the Chicago Sky and her decision to play for LSU.

“I’m not going to lie, I was so scared to commit to LSU,” Reese said (Timestamp: 20:53). “That wasn’t even actually really an option. I was going to go to South Carolina or Tennessee, I think. Then, Kim called and I was just like, ‘OK, bet. Like, I’ll just go.'”

Reese played her first two seasons in college with the Maryland Terrapins. In her freshman year, she averaged 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, helping Maryland capture the regular-season and tournament titles in the Big Ten.

Reese was on a mission in her sophomore year, averaging 17.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg. She became the first Terrapins player to average a double-double since 1975, when Angie Scott accomplished that feat.

Angel Reese and Kim Mulkey join forces at LSU

Angel Reese took the next step in her college career on April 5, 2022, when she entered the transfer portal. She decided to switch schools to find a coach who would develop her perimeter game and prepare her move to the WNBA. She found that coach in Kim Mulkey, with Reese announcing her move to LSU on May 6, 2022.

Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers talks with Angel Reese during their game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 9, 2024. Photo: Getty

Their partnership immediately paid dividends for the Tigers, who won the NCAA title in their first season together. Reese averaged 23.0 ppg and 15.4 rpg in her junior year, leading the Tigers to a showdown with Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship game. Reese helped LSU win 102-85 in the title clash, scoring 15 points, grabbing 10 boards and dishing out five assists.