LSU has produced numerous exceptional athletes over the years, including legendary figures like Pete Maravich, who set the record for all-time points in NCAA history in 1970, and Lolo Jones, who won two gold medals at the World Indoor Championships in 2008 and 2010. Recently, LSU basketball player Flau’jae Johnson engaged in a conversation with fellow LSU athlete Mikaylah Williams to discuss the top LSU graduates. However, when it came to ranking these athletes, Johnson surprisingly omitted Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, while giving top spots to her uncle, Shaquille O’Neal, and herself.
Angel Reese has impressive statistics from her time at LSU. After transferring from the Maryland Terrapins in the 2022-23 season, Reese immediately gained popularity with her consistent double-doubles, leading the Lady Tigers to an NCAA Championship under the guidance of head coach Kim Mulkey. Over two years, she emerged as a rival to Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s number-one draft pick.
During a chat session called Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae, Johnson asked Williams to rank the top LSU athletes. “Next, we gonna do rank these players without knowing who comes next LSU edition,” Johnson said. Fans were surprised when Williams, who had won SEC Freshman of the Year alongside Reese’s SEC Player of the Year title, responded confidently. When asked where Shaquille O’Neal ranks, Williams quickly replied, “One.”
Shaquille O’Neal, who played for LSU from 1989 to 1992, won four NBA championships and earned two SEC Player of the Year titles. He took the top spot in the rankings, followed by Johnson, whom Williams supported for the second position. However, Reese was notably absent from the top five, with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. taking the third spot, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow ranked fourth, and LSU basketball assistant coach Seimone Augustus in fifth.
Johnson, a standout player at LSU, reflected on her growth, stating that she now sees herself stepping into Reese’s role. “I’m an upperclassman now, but I’m just focusing on being in the best shape that I [can], definitely just being more consistent with my shot. I know the system, I know what I have to do. So, it’s just about being a consistent player and now taking on a leadership role. Angel is no longer there, it’s now me. I just have to take that on and try to be the best leader that I can,” Johnson remarked in an article published by Fox News on September 26.
Johnson made a significant impact in her freshman year, starting all 36 games and earning the SEC Freshman of the Year honor with an average of 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. In her sophomore year, she improved her stats, starting in 34 of 36 games and averaging 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, earning a spot on the Second Team All-SEC.
There has been much speculation about a perceived rift between Johnson and Reese. In the debut episode of Reese’s podcast Unapologetically Angel, Reese addressed the rumors, stating, “We aren’t as close as we used to be … there’s no hard feelings. I’m always going to support her.” Johnson, on the other hand, praised Reese for her success during her first WNBA season, saying, “I think it’s historic. But she did everything that I thought she was going to go do. I’m just proud of her.”
Like Reese, Johnson has successfully built her NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) profile and is featured in Prime Video’s six-part docuseries The Money Game, alongside Reese and other athletes. Johnson expressed hope that the docuseries would dispel misconceptions about NIL, stating, “[NIL] is just a positive thing. A lot of people had a lot to say about how [NIL] could ruin the locker room or how it could hurt [amateur] players, but I think it’s just athletes getting what they deserve.”
Though the rankings by Johnson and Williams did not include Reese, Shaquille O’Neal, who is a mentor to Reese, has a different opinion. O’Neal, who met Reese at an LSU football game and became a father figure to her, ranked her above himself, calling her the “greatest athlete” to have ever played at LSU. After LSU’s Championship win in 2023, O’Neal explained his reasoning: “She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first. Male and female. Ever.” He praised Reese for helping LSU win the championship, noting that in basketball, team success and championship rings are what matter most.
Reese, who set a single-season NCAA D1 record with 34 double-doubles, has developed a close relationship with O’Neal. She expressed gratitude for his support, saying, “He’s super inspiring to me. He’s so genuine, he’s been there for me through tough times. He just gets it, and there’s not a more perfect person for me to be tight with. We have fun, and if I need anything, he would help me … and he would do that even if I never played basketball again.”
With O’Neal’s mentorship and her achievements, Reese is poised to continue proving herself as one of the greatest athletes to emerge from LSU, both in the WNBA and beyond.
Leave a Reply