Angel Reese transfer portal: Top 5 landing spots if star forward decides to leave LSU

LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese has been one of the most electric players in women's college basketball over the past couple of seasons. Reese has yet to declare whether or not she will enter the 2024 WNBA draft alongside the likely top pick, Caitlin Clark.

With one year of college eligibility remaining for Reese after this season, she has plenty of options for her future in basketball. She will have the option to enter the WNBA draft, return for a final season at LSU or enter the transfer portal to play her final season with another program.

Reese transferred to LSU in 2022, emerging as a star under Kim Mulkey, after two seasons at Maryland, where she was a third-team All-American.

This list will showcase the top five programs Reese could move to if she enters the transfer portal after this season.

---

Top 5 transfer portal landing spots for Angel Reese

#5, South Carolina Gamecocks

If Angel Reese wants to pursue her second NCAA title, the current top-ranked and unbeaten South Carolina Gamecocks would be the place to do just that. The Gamecocks have a good mix of young stars and upperclassmen who could return to the program next season.

Reese could give South Carolina a dominant forward to add to their solid backcourt of freshman Milaysia Fulwiley and senior Te-Hina Paopao, who has already announced she will use her fifth year of eligibility next season.

South Carolina's star center, Kamilla Cardoso, has yet to announce if she will return for her fifth year of eligibility or enter the 2024 WNBA draft. If she returns, it would make the Gamecocks that much more dangerous with Reese's addition. If Cardoso declares for the draft, Reese's talents and numbers would cover for her absence and allow South Carolina to remain a dominant team.

---

#4, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have found success this season behind star freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo. If Angel Reese were to transfer to Notre Dame, it would give the Irish a dominant one-two punch, pairing one of the top scorers in women's college basketball with a top rebounder.

Hidalgo ranks third in scoring average with 23.3 points and also ranks in the top 25 in assists with 5.5. Reese is ranked second in rebounding, averaging 13.1, and 37th in scoring, with 19.0 ppg.

Notre Dame also has a young squad, with four of their five top scorers eligible to return next season. The Irish are already a top offensive team, and Reese's rebounding and defensive ability could add a whole other layer to the team next season.

---

#3, UConn Huskies

The UConn Huskies are another team that will have many of their top stars returning in 2024-25. The pairing of Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers would be a scary sight for opposing teams. Bueckers announced last month that she would return to UConn next reason rather than declare for the WNBA draft.

The Huskies rank 13th in the nation in scoring this season, heavily due to Bueckers' 21.3 ppg. The Huskies have three players who shoot over 50%, and Angel Reese would fit right in with that efficient offense with her 49.1% field-goal percentage.

Where the Huskies lack is where Reese happens to shine. The Huskies have struggled in the rebounding department, mainly offensive rebounding. They average 10.2 offensive rebounds as a team and Reese averages 5.4 by herself in her career.

A dominant force under the glass could be exactly what the Huskies need to bring them back to the national championship game next season.

---

#2, Stanford Cardinal

Angel Reese would be a perfect addition to a Stanford team that will be losing its leader in rebounding, steals and blocked shots, Cameron Brink. Brink declared for the WNBA draft after Stanford's Pac-12 loss in the conference title game to USC.

For Stanford to carry its success into next season, it will need to find players who can replace Brink and senior Hannah Jump. Jump played five seasons at Stanford and is in her final year of eligibility. She is averaging 10.3 points this season, which ranks third on the Cardinal roster.

Junior Kiki Iriafen and Reese would make an excellent pairing at the forward position with both averaging eerily similar numbers in the scoring and rebounding departments. Reese would be a great option as the successor to Brink as the player to cover for the defensive ability that Iriafen lacks.

Angel Reese would also get the chance to play under Tara VanDerveer. The legendary coach began her second stint with Stanford in 1996 after a one-year hiatus. She recently surpassed Pat Summit and Geno Auriemma to own the most wins in women's college basketball.

---

#1, USC Trojans

Freshman guard JuJu Watkins has taken the college basketball world by storm in her first year at USC. Watkins is second in scoring average with 27.0 ppg. Her scoring ability and Angel Reese's commanding rebounding and defensive ability could turn USC into an easy title favorite.

Three of USC's top scorers are all in their senior year and may or may not return to the program for their extra year of COVID-19 eligibility. If they choose not to return, that would leave a huge hole that the Trojans may need another star to fill.

The Trojans are already the third-ranked team in women's college basketball, even though they rank 108th in rebounding, averaging 38.2 rpg. Reese's rebounding ability could help push this team ahead of the remaining competition, with JuJu Watkins and Angel Reese turning them into must-see entertainment.