Angel Reese has finally broken her silence on the reason for her absence after a two-week hiatus from basketball.
Reese returned to the court for LSU against Virginia Tech on Thursday night, scoring 19 points in an 82-64 win.
Fans were pleased to see her back in action for the Tigers, and she wanted to know whether reporters felt the same way after the game. She would also explain that she needed the time off for mental health purposes.
“Taking time to yourself is really important,” she said, “I feel like it’s just something important, resetting, refocusing within the team. I’m just happy to be back.
“My mental health is the most important before anything and I’m gonna make sure I’m okay before anything because I don’t wanna cause any harm or cancer in the locker room.
“I want to people realize that I’m not just an athlete. I’m a human, too. I go through things.”
Resse also revealed having gotten plenty of support from friends, including Shaquille O’Neal, who she claimed spoke to her every day while she was out.
“We FaceTime every day, he checked on me, called me every single day to make sure I was good.,” she said.
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The star forward also responded to the negative speculation surrounding her absence. There were claims she may have been suspended because of a poor attitude or bad grades, especially after her mom got into some social media beef with the mother of a teammate. However, Reese has implied that none of this was true.
“Whatever stories that were wrote or written, don’t believe everything you read,” she added. “I’m back and I’m happy. I’m here and I’m moving forward. I’m going to take this team and help take this team as far as I can.”
