"Everybody's not gonna be on your side, that's what success is all about": Paul Pierce's message for Angel Reese following loss to Iowa
NBA champion Paul Pierce recently discussed Angel Reese's post-game comments after the LSU Tigers' 94-87closs to Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Basketball Tournament on Monday night.
During a post-game press conference at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, and emotional Reese said:
"I've been attacked so many times. Death threats. I’ve been sexualized. I’ve been threatened.
“There are so many things and I’ve stood strong every single time. I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them. I’m still a human.
“All of this has happened since I won the national championship,” Reese added. “I said the other day I haven’t [been] happy since then.”
Reese opened up about the criticism and pressure faced as a young athlete.
While making an appearance on the show "Undisputed", 10-time All-Star Paul Pierce acknowledged the impact of social media on athletes and the constant negativity they face:
"When you're on top of the sports world, things are magnified, and success is at times hard to handle,” Pierce said, “As a young athlete, as a woman in this game, things are thrown at you that you don't expect, but that's what comes with it."
Pierce also said that Reese's experience is just the beginning of her success, and she has the potential to have a great career in basketball:
"So, as she continues to handle success and gets used to it have her understand this is what comes with it," he added.
"Everybody's not gonna like you. Everybody's not gonna agree with you. Everybody's not gonna be on your side, that's what success is all about. And this is just her first run of it."
Angel Reese became famous for winning the national title last year, beating the very same opponents she lost to this time around.
Will Angel Reese make a comeback for another season with LSU?
According to reports, the game between Iowa and LSU drew 12.3 million viewers, setting a record for women's college basketball. ESPN also mentioned that this was the most-watched college basketball game ever on any of its networks.
Although Reese, who is a junior, has one more year of eligibility, she is considered a top prospect for the upcoming WNBA draft. This has led to speculation about whether she will return to LSU for another season or enter the professional ranks:
“[I’ll] make a decision when I’m ready,” Reese said during a recent news conference.
Do you think Angel Reese will return for one last dance with LSU or do you think she will declare for the WNBA draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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