One of the lingering questions from Angel Reese’s college career is why she wasn’t eligible for the 2023 Wooden Award. Rumors swirled, many suggesting academic issues-particularly a low GPA. But the Chicago Sky star hasn’t stopped setting the record straight.
In November 2023, as LSU chased a spot in the NCAA playoffs, head coach Kim Mulkey stunned fans and media by benching Reese for four games. Around the same time, the selection panel for the John R. Wooden Award excluded her from the list of 15 finalists.
The internet exploded with theories-ranging from a secret pregnancy to a locker room altercation. But the most persistent rumor was that Reese’s GPA had fallen below the threshold required to qualify for the award, and possibly even for team participation.
Reese sets the record straight
The speculation flared up again in March 2024, when Reese graduated from LSU with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. According to LSU guidelines, this program requires a minimum GPA of 2.0-the same standard needed for Wooden Award consideration.
Reese addressed the whispers head-on in the first episode of her podcast, Unapologetically Angel. “It wasn’t school,” she insisted. “I never had a 1-point-whatever GPA. That wasn’t true. No babies, no kids, no fighting, no attitudes. None of that.”
Instead, the Sky forward attributed her absence to personal struggles she chose not to fully detail. “I was moody. I wasn’t in a good place within myself,” she shared. “I didn’t want to become a cancer in the locker room.”
The mystery remains
Due to federal privacy laws, student academic records-including GPA-are protected from public release without the student’s consent. So while fans continue to speculate, Reese’s exact academic standing remains confidential.
Coach Mulkey tried to put the rumors to rest at the time, stating, “She is in good academic standing.” She acknowledged that most college awards require strong academic performance but clarified that wasn’t the issue with Reese, leaving conspiracy theorists grasping for answers.
Read the full article here
