Imago
Credits: Imago
Imago
Credits: Imago
When Hailey Van Lith decided to transfer to TCU, all hell broke loose. The five-foot-nine point guard had played a supporting role in a gritty Elite Eight run by the defending champs, but her stats had dropped off. She went from being a top projected pick in the 2025 WNBA draft class to not being mentioned at all! It took an immense amount of courage for the guard to transfer a second time in two years, but she took the leap of faith and made it work.
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And work it did. Van Lith, as a Horned Frog, made a comeback that is worth writing home about. At TCU, she averaged approximately 17.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors and climbing back into first-round mock drafts. Suddenly, mock drafts put her back in the first-round, where she belonged.
The Chicago Sky, on April 14th, reportedly chose Hailey Van Lith as the eleventh pick in the first round, reuniting her with her LSU teammate Angel Reese. A former teammate of both the stars, however, had her own inputs to give about the unique draft circumstances.
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On Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae, the LSU star gave her opinion gave her opinion on the Baton Rogue reunion. “Hailey Van Lith going eleven… That right there? That was hard. And she’s going back to Chicago. Like, you can’t write that up.” Johnson said, appreciating her fellow guard for bringing up her draft stock back into the first round.
The Sky’s move to pair Hailey with Angel signals they’re building a squad with grit and chemistry, leaning on LSU’s knack for producing WNBA stars. From Reese to Van Lith, Kim Mulkey’s Tigers are leaving a mark on the pros, and Flau’jae, still holding it down at LSU, is watching her former teammates shine—though maybe with mixed feelings about one of them.
However, Johnson remained particularly mum about her former teammate Angel Reese. There have been reports of discord between the two, and it seems like some of that still lingers as both refrain from addressing each other as much as possible. But what happened between the two? Let’s find out!
What happened between Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese?
Baton Rogue is known for its tight-knit units, and we saw that during this year’s WNBA draft. Kim Mulkey and her squad was there to cheer on the Tigers about to get drafted. However, two of the most prominent LSU players in recent years don’t have the best relationship ever.
Back in 2023, Flau’jae and Angel were the heart of LSU’s championship run, vibing on and off the court. They were posting each other on Insta, hyping up the squad, and bringing home the trophy. But by the next season, things got a little quiet. Some say it was about leading the team in different ways or maybe just growing apart in the spotlight. Whatever it was, it wasn’t some big blow-up—just a slow fade.
The bond between a championship team is difficult to break, but Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese have drifted apart! They used to be nearly inseparable, but now? There is only radio silence.
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; LSU Lady Tigers guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) and forward Angel Reese (10) react in the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the finals of the Albany Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
But don’t worry, they still support each other unequivocally, despite not being as close as before. “Yeah, me and Angel, we aren’t as close as we used to be. But I still support her 1000 percent. I was proud of her, just being in the W and breaking records.” Johnson said about her former teammate to the New York Post.
Flau’jae’s choice to big up Hailey but skip over Angel on her podcast raised some eyebrows, especially since Angel’s been killing it in the WNBA. Reese, already setting records like the fastest rookie to 500 rebounds, is hard to miss. Flau’jae not mentioning her might just be her keeping it chill, focusing on Hailey’s comeback story. Angel’s been pretty quiet about Flau’jae too, so it seems like they’re both cool with giving each other space while still cheering from afar.
Regardless of whatever happens in the future, we know that the Tigers will always support their own. However, it was definitely a surprise to see Flau’jae not mention Reese while discussing HVL’s arrival in Chicago. Has their relationship devolved further? Or is everything alright? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for further action!
Written by
Edited by
Masaba Naqvi