LSU’s Angel Reese declares for 2024 WNBA draft
Two days after falling to Iowa in the Elite Eight, LSU’s Angel Reese has declared for the 2024 WNBA draft.
Reese announced her decision to turn professional in a profile with Vogue that was released Wednesday.
When it came to her draft announcement, she said she “didn’t want anything to be basic.” She made the decision the week before the NCAA Tournament, according to the publication.
“I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” Reese told Vogue. “I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten (Southeastern Conference) Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro — and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready.”
Reese had a season of eligibility left and could have run it back one more time with the Tigers and head coach Kim Mulkey. This season, the forward led LSU in scoring and rebounds, averaging 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game, according to ESPN.
Monday’s game was a repeat of last year’s national championship but with a different result. Last season, LSU beat Iowa 94-87.
Following Monday’s loss, Reese revealed that she has received death threats.
“I’ve been through so much,” she said in her postgame press conference, according to Yahoo! Sports. “I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times, death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened, I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time.”
Where will Angel Reese be drafted?
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. The Indiana Fever own that pick for the second-straight year.
Despite having a national title, unlike Clark, recent mock drafts — most were made prior to the start of the tournament — have Reese getting picked in the back half of the first round.
Here is where Reese is expected to be drafted:
CBS Sports: No. 7 to the Minnesota Lynx.
Sporting News: No. 7 to the Minnesota Lynx.
ESPN: No. 7 to the Minnesota Lynx.
The Athletic: No. 8 to the Chicago Sky.
When is the WNBA draft?
The 2024 WNBA draft will take place on April 15 at 5:30 p.m. MDT in Brooklyn, New York.
ESPN will broadcast the two-hour event. This year will be the first time the draft has been open to fans since 2016, according to the WNBA. The 1,000 tickets available for the draft sold out in 15 minutes.
