WNBA: Why Angel Reese’s call for mental wellness is a matter of increased urgency

In her hit single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” from her landmark album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill asked the question: “How you gonna win, when you ain’t right within?”

She said it three times in one verse.

The premise is that one must take care of oneself in order to be successful. If anyone in the women’s basketball sphere knows a thing or two about answering that question, it is Chicago Sky and Rose BC forward Angel Reese.

Since joining the WNBA in 2024 as part of one of the most elite draft classes in league history, Reese has used her platform to call attention to mental health. It is an issue she has been outspoken about in context the heightened scrutiny and over-policing she has become subject to, through no fault of her own.

Now, she is on repeat asking for everyone to prioritize their mental well-being following the apparent suicide of LSU football running back Kyren Lacy. Lacy was found dead in Houston at the age of 24.

Upon learning the news of the tragedy, Reese, a notable LSU alum, took to X/Twitter to express her sympathies and encourage her followers to care for themselves. “Mental health is real. Check on your people! You never know what someone is going through!,” she posted.

Reese has been open about her mental health struggles in connection to the scorn levied at her by social media trolls who seek to dehumanize her. She said her toughest time was after the historic 2023 NCAA national championship game, in which Reese’s LSU defeated Caitlin Clark and Iowa before a record audience of over 10 million viewers.

Reese received a barrage of hate rooted in absolute racism and sexism. She was out for two weeks at the start of the 2023-24 college season. She came back on Nov. 14, 2023 and scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds as LSU defeated Virginia Tech, 82-64. Afterward, Reese spoke openly about how important her mental well-being is to her, asserting in her postgame press conference:

My mental health is the most important thing before anything, and I’m going to make sure I’m OK before anything because I don’t want to cause anything, harm, or any cancer in the locker room. I’m back and I’m happy and I’m here and I’m moving forward and I’m going to help take this team as far as I can.

Throughout her final college season, Reese put effort into trying to balance her on-court exploits with the management her off-court vulnerabilities, something she was candid about after losing to Iowa in the 2024 Elite Eight. She shared:

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 and I haven’t been happy since then.

With all that’s come her way, good and bad, Reese consistently has made a conscious effort to emphasize the importance of mental well-being. Following this tragedy at her alma mater, she is arguably someone well suited to speak publicly about this matter.

Oftentimes, athletes are viewed as objects and subjects as opposed to people. And for Black athletes, especially Black women athletes, who have to deal with a society that tends to celebrate them in the arena of play but too often find them disposable in everyday life, the pressures and the stressors significantly mount.

So, let’s take this tragedy of a young man gone too soon as a wake-up call. Instead of trolling Angel Reese, how about we listen to her?

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please reach out for help immediately. Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 free and confidential support services. You are not alone.