There is no such thing as an undercard when you’re the one in the ring, and if you think Angel Reese is just a warmup act for Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston … well, you tell her. Reese is the “other” first-team All-American still playing in the NCAA tournament, an LSU rebounding machine who could dominate any Final Four—including this one.
In four NCAA tournament games, Reese has averaged 22.25 points and 17.25 rebounds. She has grabbed a rebound almost every other minute. Sometimes, LSU’s coaches remind the other Tigers not to stand around and wait for Reese to do their board work for them. She is their teammate, not their valet. But if Reese’s teammates expect her to grab every single rebound, that is understandable. So does Reese.
Reese transferred to LSU from Maryland last May, and she exemplifies both the power of the transfer portal and the importance of choosing the right destination. LSU coach Kim Mulkey is one of the most polarizing in the sport; Thursday morning, she admitted she has not spoken to her former Baylor star, Brittney Griner, since Griner was freed from Russian prison, and she tight-walked her way through a question on transgender athletes with an answer that was both cringy and not quite as cringy as expected. But Mulkey is unquestionably one of the best coaches in the world, relentlessly demanding and tactically brilliant. Mulkey provided the discipline that Reese needed. She has helped Reese go from good to great.
