According to common accounts, Angel Reese, a top LSU women’s basketball team player, was forbidden from playing for the Tigers because of her grade-point average (GPA). Angel confirmed these allegations.
It was widely thought that she had been suspended due to a low-grade point average; however, she sought to disprove the rumors with a tweet, which was picked up by a number of outlets in the United States. According to the NCAA rulebook, her absence is not tied to her grade point average. On the other hand, Reese said on her X account, “Don’t believe everything you read.”
In the event that a player does not meet the requirements to compete academically, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) makes it clear that “an institution shall not permit a student-athlete to represent it in intercollegiate athletics competition.” Reese was replaced on the bench after playing the first half of the game against Kent State that took place the previous week.
A violation of this bylaw in which the institution fails to certify the student-athlete’s eligibility before allowing the student-athlete to represent the institution in intercollegiate competition shall be considered an institutional violation in accordance with Bylaw 8.01.3, as stated in the handbook of the National Collegiate Athletic Association by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
While everything was going on, Reese, who was unable to attend the game against Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, posted a picture of an LSU basketball court on Instagram on Saturday night. The time at which the image was taken was not specified, but if it was taken recently, it would suggest that Reese participated in campus practices. If she did not meet the required grade point average, it would not make sense.
According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), “a student-athlete who is a non-qualifier and who, as a result, is not eligible for practice will not be permitted to attend any practice sessions in any capacity, nor will the student-athlete be permitted to attend any meeting that is characterized as practice.”
It is possible that LSU may have concluded that Reese’s grades did not meet its standards, which are independent of the criteria that the NCAA imposes; nonetheless, it would have been surprising for them to make such a judgment in the midst of a game. In addition, the Tigers have always held their student-athletes to the same basic standards that the NCAA does.
Because Reese’s head coach, Kim Mulkey, has not offered a definitive reason for the forward’s absence, public speculation has been increased. “You want me to explain why [she wasn’t here]?” As Mulkey said on Friday evening. Angel’s absence from the outfit was glaringly obvious. The fact that Angel is a basketball team member means that we anticipate seeing her sooner rather than later. I am going to stop responding to your messages. And that is all. It is sufficient for you to know that.
Before the current crisis, Reese had already been dealing with issues that were tied to her academic performance. For reasons related to her academic performance, LSU indicated that she was not considered for the John R. Wooden Award in the previous year. However, Mulkey denied at the time that the playing status of the native of Baltimore was in jeopardy as a result of the situation.
During March, Mulkey responded to JWS by saying, “Oh, absolutely, [Reese] is in a good academic standing period.” It’s only that some of these rewards require individuals to fulfill specific requirements, including doing community service. Some of them will indeed have grade point averages. Her academic performance is satisfactory.
This coming Monday, LSU will play Texas Southern in their next game. The school provided no information as of early Sunday afternoon on whether or not Reese would be there.
The fact that it did not publish a statement before Friday’s game allowed the media to notice her absence just before the game began. In response to a request for comment, the athletic department still needs to provide a response.