Angel Reese goes professional.
On Wednesday, the 2023-24 SEC Participant of the 12 months introduced she’s declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft, to be held on April 15 in Brooklyn.
Iowa star Caitlin Clark, the presumed No. 1 general decide, declared earlier this 12 months. South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, ESPN’s projected No. 4 decide within the 2024 draft class, introduced her intention to go professional on Monday.
Stanford’s Cameron Brink, Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson and UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards are among the many different high-profile stars anticipated to be chosen early within the first spherical.
Together with her a number of NIL offers and the loaded WNBA Draft class, it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Reese would go professional this 12 months.
Reese will proceed incomes cash from sponsorships, however her capacity to take action collegiately made turning professional pointless.
Her elite rebounding alone makes her greater than prepared for the WNBA. Per Tankathon, she’s the No. 7 prospect within the 2024 class however ought to transfer up following Virginia Tech guard Georgia Amoore’s determination to enter the school switch portal and never declare for the draft.
In ESPN’s most up-to-date mock draft, Reese is chosen seventh general by the Minnesota Lynx. That may be arguably essentially the most becoming place for Reese to land, contemplating that it was the previous residence of earlier LSU greats Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus.
The Lynx chosen Augustus with the No. 1 decide of the 2006 WNBA Draft, whereas Fowles, initially chosen second general by the Chicago Sky in 2008, was traded to the Lynx in 2015.
Augustus was an eight-time All-Star and gained 4 WNBA titles with Minnesota, whereas Fowles acquired two Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors, one MVP Award and two titles in eight seasons with the group.
Reese emerged as a dominant put up presence in her sophomore 12 months at Maryland (2021-22) however exploded when she arrived at LSU in 2022-23. She led the Tigers to their first ladies’s basketball championship final season, averaging 23 factors and 15.4 rebounds per sport.
She finishes her school profession with 624 profession offensive rebounds, the fifth-most in NCAA historical past.
