BATON ROUGE (AP)— LSU standout forward Angel Reese is gone and coach Kim Mulkey has offered little explanation, putting the seventh-ranked Tigers under scrutiny at the start of their national title defense.
After a surprising season-opening loss for what on paper looks like the perfect super team in this new era of relaxed transfer and player endorsement rules, Reese's absence and some players' parents' social media criticism began.
On Monday, Reese was not expected for a home game against Texas Southern.
According to LSU women's basketball team spokesman Grant Kauvar, Reese's return date is unknown. Fans can “come to the game and see.”
Mulkey's words before last Friday's game at Southeastern Louisiana, which Reese missed, were similar.
Mulkey's silence over Reese, one of women's college athletics' most popular and financially successful athletes, has given LSU a public relations headache and probably stoked curiosity.
However, Mulkey's description of Reese's second-half benching against Kent State last Tuesday as a “coach's decision” suggests it is not a compliance issue.
In response to Angel Webb Reese's earlier article criticizing Brooks' grammar, Brooks replied, “You definitely know about grammar errors when your daughter got a 2.0-or-less grade point average.
Stop acting petty, phony, and spiteful and take responsibility for your and your daughter's actions.”