Trolls say Angel Reese is playing the victim as she opens up about death threats after season-ending loss

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: LSU basketball star Angel Reese candidly shared her reflections on the past year, revealing the challenges she has faced, including receiving death threats and being sexualized, during a press conference after LSU's loss to Iowa in the Elite Eight.

Reflecting on the tumultuous year since LSU's championship last April, Reese expressed a sense of resilience, stating that she "wouldn't change anything" despite the hardships she has endured.

Angel Reese opens up about challenges and resilience following season-ending loss

"I’ve been through so much. I’ve seen so much,” the basketball star, 21, said at a press conference after the Tigers’ loss to Iowa in the Elite Eight Monday night. “I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats. I’ve been sexualized. I’ve been threatened. There are so many things and I’ve stood strong every single time.”

Reese's journey has not been without its struggles. In November, she took a temporary leave from the team for nearly two weeks and four games, citing the importance of prioritizing her mental health.

"My mental health is the most important before anything, and I'm gonna make sure I'm okay before anything, because I don't wanna cause any harm or cancer in the locker room," she said. 

In the highly anticipated rematch of last year's championship game, LSU's Angel Reese faced off against Iowa star Caitlin Clark once again. After LSU emerged victorious in last year's title game, Reese gained widespread attention for her "You can't see me" taunts directed at Clark, which went viral among basketball enthusiasts.

“I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them,” Reese explained about her mindset when playing the game and dealing with adversity. “I’m still a human. All of this has happened since I won the national championship. I said the other day I haven’t [been] happy since then.”

Reese, however, stated that she "wouldn't change anything" that has happened over the last year with Flau'jae Johnson and Hailey Van Lith standing by her side.

During the April 1 game, Reese delivered an impressive performance, contributing 17 points and 20 rebounds before fouling out with 1.45 left to play. As she contemplates her future in basketball, whether to return for another season with LSU or declare for the WNBA Draft, Reese recognizes the impact she is making on the next generation.

“I would still sit here and say I’m unapologetically me," Reese said. "I’m going to always leave that mark and be who I am and stand on that. Hopefully the little girls that look up to me, hopefully I give them some type of inspiration," she said. 

She added, "Hopefully it’s not this hard and all the things that come at you, but keep being who you are, keep waking up every day, keep being motivated, staying who you are, staying 10 toes [down], don’t back down and just be confident.”

Angel Reese receives online backlash and trolling after opening up about death threats

Angel Reese's recent revelation about receiving death threats has sparked controversy and trolling online, with some users expressing skepticism and accusing her of seeking sympathy for personal gain.

One user dismissed Reese's claims, stating, "No one believes her," while another accused her of  "Playing the victim. Amazing sports stars resort to this. She’s looking for sympathy, hoping to get a larger ($M) contract when she turns pro. She’ll need the extra money to afford her hair, lashes, and nails. Extreme vanity." 

Another user accused Reese of whining and crying for attention saying, "A whole lot of whining and crying to get to a couple valuable statements. I hope the kids that look up to her are not following the victimhood tack."

The fourth user stated, "She's crying all the way to the WNBA."

Another user echoed, "She's a crybaby."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.