Where did Angel Reese play before LSU? Exploring Tigers forward's basketball career

Angel Reese has been phenomenal in women’s college basketball over the past two seasons. The forward led LSU to the national championship in 2023 and earned the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. However, her collegiate journey did not begin at Baton Rouge.

Where did Angel Reese play before LSU?

Angel Reese started her college basketball career at Maryland in 2020. She played two seasons for the program before transferring to LSU. The Terrapins recruited Reese as a five-star prospect in the class of 2020. The "Bayou Barbie" was ranked as the No. 2 prospect by ESPN.

Reese attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she played under coach Jerome Shelton for four years. This made committing to the University of Maryland an easy decision for Reese, despite having more than 24 scholarship offers.

Reese started her freshman season at Maryland in 2022 and entered the Terrapins’ starting lineup. She was highly regarded by coach Brenda Frese, who viewed her as part of the team's Big Three including Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller.

Four games into her freshman season, Reese suffered a Jones fracture against Towson in December and was sidelined until February. She, however, led the Terrapins to the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Reese described her sophomore season at Maryland as a “redemption year,” which was the case. She averaged 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 32 games that season. She became the first Maryland player to average a double-double since Angie Scott in 1975.

Reese led Maryland to the 2022 NCAA Tournament, falling to Stanford in the Sweet 16. Reese was named First-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team. She received an All-American honor as well as USBWA and WBCA honorable mentions.

Transfer to LSU

Angel Reese opted to enter the transfer portal in April 2022. The 6-foot-3 forward later clarified that her decision stemmed from a desire for a fresh start. She wanted to work with a coach who could help develop her into a stretch four. She believed that would better prepare her for the WNBA.

Widely regarded as the most sought-after transfer in the nation, Reese ultimately committed to LSU. The transfer has led the Tigers to the national championship in her first season. She's also become one of the biggest college basketball players in the country.