Angel Reese Speaks On Her Mental Health Since Last Year’s NCAA Championship Win

Angel Reese sheds light on her mental health since receiving harsh criticism after her NCAA March Madness win last year.

Following LSU’s loss to Iowa on April 1, Angel Reese shared that she’s been unhappy after receiving death threats after her own March Madness win last year.

The LSU women’s basketball player got emotional as she spoke about the massive internet hate. Since winning the NCAA March Madness tournament in 2023, Reese has faced racialized criticism from fans and professional critics alike. At the postgame conference, Reese shared how her happiness took a significant hit with all the negative comments toward her. NBA Central reposted the tearful moment.

"I just try to stay strong… I've been attacked so many times. Death threats, I've been sexualized, I've been threatened… All this has happened since I won the national championship & I haven't been happy since then."

– Angel

(h/t @ClutchPoints )

pic.twitter.com/pawsLG0Wrd
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 2, 2024

“I just try to stand strong. I’ve been through so much, I’ve seen so much, I’ve been attacked so many times,” shared the 21-year-old college student. “Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, threatened…so many things, and I’ve stood strong. Every single time. And 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 emphasized that she is just a human through the hate. The NCAA champion continues to endure extreme cases of cyberbullying for her performance and attitude on the court.

“I just want them to always know I’m still human. All this has happened since I won the national championship. And I said the other day I haven’t had peace since then,” she continued.

However, “Bayou Barbie” is keeping her head high. Reese further stated she is “unapologetically” herself despite others’ opinions on how she should behave.

“And it sucks, but I still wouldn’t change. I wouldn’t change anything, and I would sit here and say I’m unapologetically me. 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. Keep being who you are…Don’t back down, and just be confident.”

While the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes eliminated the LSU Tigers from this year’s tournament, Reese’s impact on women’s sports is far from over.