Angel Reese Recalls Beating Caitlin Clark During NCAA Tournament Two Years Ago: ‘Changed My Life Forever’

Angel Reese became a national champion two years ago, and today, she’s reflecting all about it.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Angel Reese shared a statement, looking back on the moment she, the LSU Tigers, and Kim Mulkey defeated Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023 to win the NCAA Division I Tournament.

While the current teams prepare for the big game, Reese has been reflecting on her time during the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness, where she won a national championship title with her alma mater, LSU.

On X, she acknowledged the moment and admitted becoming a winner had a major impact on her life.

“D-mn,” she wrote. “I won a natty [two] years ago today [and] it changed my life forever.”

In that game, Reese played 29 minutes, scoring 15 points and securing 10 rebounds. She also had five assists, three steals, and one block.

Of course, the national title helped bring Reese even more attention. But her post-game celebration launched her into another stratosphere.

As the clock was winding down in the fourth quarter, cameras caught Reese doing John Cena‘s famous “you can’t see me” celebration in Clark’s face.

Many blasted the Louisiana basketball player for “taunting” her opponent after securing the win. The tense interaction and heated competition between the two players also created a new rivalry that will be remembered for years.

Following LSU’s win over Clark and the Hawkeyes, Reese defended herself against the allegations that she displayed “unsportsmanlike” conduct.

During her response, she pointed to Clark, who also made the same gesture to another team during a prior game.

“All year, I was critiqued for who I was,” she said, per CBS News. “I don’t fit the narrative; I don’t fit the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, and y’all don’t say nothing.”

“So this is for the girls that look like me, that’s gonna speak up for what they believe in,” Reese continued. “It’s unapologetically you. And that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight.”

Reese added: “And Twitter is going to go into a rage every time. And I’m happy. I feel like I’ve helped grow women’s basketball this year. I’m looking forward to celebrating and the next season.”

Reese opened up about the public’s perception regarding her relationship with Clark, whom she’s faced off against several times in high school, college, and now in the WNBA. According to her, the trash talk is not “personal;” it’s part of the game.

“I don’t think people realize it’s not personal,” the LSU star said. “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game and I would just wish people realized that.”

Reese explained that when she’s on the court, she’s uninterested in being friendly.

“I have plenty of friends on the court that I talk to outside of the game. But when I get between those lines, we’re not friends. We’re not buddies,” she said. “I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game, we can kick it. I don’t think people really realize that and that’s fine, I’ll take the villain role.”

Since winning the national title in 2023, Reese has secured many lucrative deals with popular companies and brands, including Reebok, Beats by Dre, Reese’s, and McDonald’s.

In January 2025, the fast-food giant announced a special partnership with the Chicago Sky rookie, making her bacon quarter-pounder platter the first meal deal with a female athlete.

Of course, Reese’s collab with the Golden Arches isn’t the first time she’s teamed up with the global franchise. In 2020, she was named a McDonald’s All-American player and represented her high school, St. Francis, in Baltimore.

“McDonald’s has always been a big part of my life, from grabbing a McChicken® Sandwich as a kid to being named a McDonald’s All-American in 2020,” Reese said. “It’s really a dream come true to be the first-ever female athlete to have my own meal and be a part of McDonald’s amazing basketball legacy. I hope the Angel Reese Special inspires young athletes everywhere to never give up on pursuing their dreams.”