Angel Reese spent four games away from LSU during the 2023/24 women’s college basketball season. Despite how it might’ve appeared, head coach Kim Mulkey actually had her back the entire time.
New video from Amazon’s new documentary series ‘The Money Game’ offers a new perspective.
Reese was first relegated to the bench during a win over Kent State on Nov. 14, 2023. The Tigers were up by two at the break and she never saw the court again. No further information was provided.
To make the entire situation even more mysterious, Reese did not travel with the team to its next game. Mulkey was asked about the absence after the game and provided no additional clarity with an extremely sassy statement. Her decision to keep things behind closed doors was typical, but it opened the door to widespread speculation. Especially as the saga continued for three additional games.
Nobody knew what to think of Reese’s time away from the court. She only made things even more confusing with repeated cryptic posts on social media. Mulkey got into a feisty exchange with a reporter amid all of the uncertainty, which reportedly stemmed from her bad attitude.
That may still be true. However, Reese recently addressed the bizarre hiatus and offered a slightly different perspective. The eventual No. 7 overall pick in the WNBA Draft “kind of got into it” with Mulkey during the Kent State game. They agreed afterward that it would be best for her to take some time off.
She had high praise for her former coach’s handling of the situation.
It was me and Coach Mulkey being able to have that kind of relationship.
— Angel Reese
Reese ultimately returned to the court during a high-profile matchup against Virginia Tech. LSU won by seven and Mulkey gave her star forward a massive hug on the court. It was a very public display of support that drew a lot of eyeballs.
Amazon caught the entire exchange. Mulkey vowed to protect her.
man. pic.twitter.com/oOBQmo6M3U
— CLOSED. (@k6yperc) September 14, 2024
Although we still don’t know exactly what went down in November, it seems like the Tigers could’ve handled the entire situation with more transparency. Kim Mulkey probably could’ve avoided a lot of gossip and criticism with an explanation that Angel Reese needed a break to focus on her mental health.