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Angel Reese only played two seasons for LSU, but the Bayou Barbie remains a beloved figure in Baton Rouge.
On Friday, Reese will be the headliner once again at LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center (PMAC) when the Chicago Sky take on the Brazil national team in a WNBA preseason game.
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Reese’s back-to-school game, which will also feature former Tigers guard Hailey Van Lith, is part of a larger WNBA preseason trend. It is sandwiched between Arike Ogunbowale’s Notre Dame homecoming on Friday and Caitlin Clark’s return to Iowa with the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
One exhibition game was not enough for LSU fans, who united on social media to demand a permanent spot for Reese in the rafters at PMAC.
Former LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese (10) is returning to her college campus with the Chicago Sky for a WNBA preseason game.Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The day before the game, Reese shared a post from the LSU women’s basketball team on her Instagram story. “Pack the PMAC,” she said. “See y’all tomorrow.”
The comments section under LSU’s post was flooded with fans demanding that LSU retire her iconic No. 10 jersey. In her first season playing for Kim Mulkey’s team, Reese led them to the 2023 NCAA Championship, beating Clark’s Iowa in the final.
“Retire her jersey!” said the most popular comment.
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“Jersey needs to be retired too,” said a response with over 100 likes.
“We want jersey in the rafters & statue built….” another fan demanded.
“Retire 10!” wrote a fan.
“Please retire the jersey,” begged one comment.
“RETIRE MY DAWG JERSEY ASAP!!” screamed an LSU fan. “she deserves a statue.”
Other prominent figures from the same era of women’s college basketball have been given similar honors recently. South Carolina dedicated statues to star player A’ja Wilson and coach Dawn Staley, while Clark had her No. 22 Iowa jersey retired less than a year after she graduated.
LSU forward Angel Reese taunts Iowa guard Caitlin Clark in the 2023 NCAA Tournament National Championship Game.Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK
LSU’s women’s basketball team has only retired the jerseys of two players in its 50-year history: Seimone Augustus’ No. 33 and Sylvia Fowles’ No. 34.
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The two future WNBA stars and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductees helped lead the Tigers to five straight Final Fours from 2004-2008, but Reese has something neither of them do — an NCAA title.
Despite playing just two seasons at LSU, Reese ranks inside the top 20 on LSU’s all-time scoring list with (1,443 points) and finished her career fifth all-time in rebounds (996). Her 61 career double-doubles were second only to Fowles.
Whether or not that is enough to retire her jersey is up to the LSU brass, but there is no doubt how the fans feel.
Related: Angel Reese’s Post Fuels Speculation Amid NBA Dating Rumors
Related: Iowa Coach Reveals Exciting Offer From Caitlin Clark
