Flau’jae Johnson recently took the time to set the record straight about his teammate Angel Reese! LSU Tigers players spoke to the media following their loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday night (April 1). It was a tense and close game, with Iowa beating the W with 94 points to LSU’s 87.
Angel Reese talks about feeling a lack of peace
Reese became emotional as she reflected on her time in the college league. She tearfully explained that she hasn’t had peace since she won the National Championship with the LSU Tigers last year—the team’s first NCAA victory. Last year, the Tigers swept the Hawkeyes off the court with a bombastic score of 103-85.
Following that W, though, Angel Reese was heavily criticized for gesturing John Cena’s ‘You Can’t See Me’ sign to Iowa’s Caitlin Clark during the game. The Tigers forward stood ten fingers away from the competitive gesture, and Clark stood behind her.
RELATED: Caitlin Clark Defends Angel Reese Amid Intense Backlash
![Final point, sis! Watch Flau'jae Johnson defend Angel Reese after LSU Tigers' loss to Iowa Hawkeyes 1 Watch Flau'jae Johnson Defend Angel Reese After LSU and Iowa Game](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Watch-Flaujae-Johnson-Defend-Angel-Reese-LSU-Tigers-Iowa-Hawkeyes-Final-Score-Tears-scaled.jpg)
![Final point, sis! Watch Flau'jae Johnson defend Angel Reese after LSU Tigers' loss to Iowa Hawkeyes 2 Watch Flau'jae Johnson Defend Angel Reese After LSU and Iowa Game](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Watch-Flaujae-Johnson-Defend-Angel-Reese-LSU-Tigers-Iowa-Hawkeyes-Final-Score-Tears-scaled.jpg)
Although Reese kept a brave face during that intense backlash, she clarified that it wasn’t easy to do so then, now, or whenever she faces criticism.
“I remain strong, I have been through so much, I have seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times,” Reese said, her voice cracking with emotion. “Death threats. I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened. I’ve been so many things and I’ve stood strong every time.”
Angel added that her teammates inspire her strength because she doesn’t want them to “see her depressed and not be there for them.”
“I just want you to know that all of this has happened since I won the National Championship and I said the other day that I haven’t had peace since then. And it sucks, but I still wouldn’t change anything, and I’ll still say that I’m unapologetically myself.”
She shared that she hopes the “little girls” who look up to her can find inspiration in her being true to herself.
See Angel’s comments below.
Flau’jae Johnson claps back at Angel’s Haters
After Angel shared her thoughts, the No. 4 LSU Tigers made it clear who she rides for! Flau’jae Johnson took the mic seriously, letting people know they are entitled to their “opinions” about Angel. Ultimately, though, Johnson said critics don’t “know” Reese like she does.
“…But you don’t know her. You don’t know Angel Reese. I know the real Angel Reese. And the person I see every day is a strong person, a caring, loving person. Bro, the crown she wears is heavy bro. She’s the kind of teammate that will make you believe in yourself. The jump I made from freshman year to sophomore year, Angel gave me that confidence to be a jerk, playing alongside a jerk every day.
![Final point, sis! Watch Flau'jae Johnson defend Angel Reese after LSU Tigers' loss to Iowa Hawkeyes 3 Watch Flau'jae Johnson Defend Angel Reese After LSU and Iowa Game](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Watch-Flaujae-Johnson-Defend-Angel-Reese-LSU-Tigers-Iowa-Hawkeyes-Final-Score-2-scaled.jpg)
![Final point, sis! Watch Flau'jae Johnson defend Angel Reese after LSU Tigers' loss to Iowa Hawkeyes 4 Watch Flau'jae Johnson Defend Angel Reese After LSU and Iowa Game](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Watch-Flaujae-Johnson-Defend-Angel-Reese-LSU-Tigers-Iowa-Hawkeyes-Final-Score-2-scaled.jpg)
Flau’jae criticized the media for portraying Angel as a “villain,” reiterating once again that neither the world nor the media really knows her “sister.”
“I’m very happy to be able to play with her,” Johnson added. “I can be close to her presence, her energy is different. She just made me a better player and that’s what great players do.”
Watch Johnson defend his teammate below.
“You don’t know Angel Reese. … the crown she wears is heavy.”
-Flau’Jae Johnson defends Angel Reese from criticism 💜 pic.twitter.com/gNog1gjaeX
– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 2, 2024
On X (formerly Twitter), Flau’jae headed the loss of the LSU Tigers. The second year wrote, “We will be back, I will be better. Thanks for all the love. Thank you Jesus.”
And just so we’re clear, win or lose, Johnson wasn’t wrong about Angel being THAT growly and a great player. But we’ll let CBS Sports tell you below!
If so, what a college career it was for Angel Reese:
👑 National Champion 2023
👑 MOP Tournament 2023
👑 2024 SEC Player of the Year
👑 2x fully SEC
👑 Set NCAA single-season doubles record
👑 Single-season SEC rebounding record
👑 LSU single-game rebound record pic.twitter.com/v3uR6EAzKz– CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 2, 2024
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