TL;DR
- Flau’jae Johnson, a freshman star, is now a consistent scorer for LSU's top five squad.
- Angel Reese, a top WNBA draft pick, is a two-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year.
- The Chicago Sky, with the fifth pick, could draft Johnson, reuniting her with Reese.
- A potential reunion of Johnson and Reese could be transformative for the Chicago Sky.
They haven’t been close off the court. They were unstoppable on it.
The 2023 LSU women’s basketball team was built on talent that could overwhelm anyone in its path. Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson delivered a national championship with a 102 to 85 win over Caitlin Clark and Iowa, a game that became one of the highest viewed in women’s basketball history.
Johnson was only a freshman that season. She looks now like someone who never left that stage. More than 17 points a night. The spark of a top five LSU squad that leans on her consistency and edge.
Reese took her success to the pros and kept rising. Seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. Two time All Star. Defensive Player of the Year in Unrivaled. A champion again with Team Rose. Every step has increased her profile and her impact.
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Another shared spotlight might soon be granted by the league. Following Sunday's WNBA Draft Lottery, Chicago possesses the fifth selection. The initial rankings are expected to feature Lauren Betts, Awa Fam, and Olivia Miles. Dallas, holding the first pick, might consider Azzi Fudd after her championship performance alongside Paige Bueckers.
This situation allows Chicago to select Johnson or Ta’Niya Latson, a guard from South Carolina. Should Johnson be available, her talent alone would make her a suitable addition.
The off-court aspects are intricate. Johnson elaborated on this during a June appearance on the Breakfast Club. “We’re not friends but that bond that we had and that thing we did together, win a national championship, you can never take that away from us…Sometimes, stuff happens…You just got to grow. I support her in everything she do, she’s killing it in the WNBA.”
Michael Voepel’s latest ESPN mock draft sends Johnson to Chicago. A reunion built on talent, tension and the kind of storyline the WNBA rarely gets handed.
What it means for Angel Reese is still unclear. What it means for the Chicago Sky could be transformative. The league rewards star power. Chemistry determines how far it goes.
Should the Sky reunite them, the query simplifies. They achieved unstoppable status previously. Is a repeat performance possible?
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- UCONN prepping for another title run
- What Matt Painter said after Purdue’s win in Alabama