Forget Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese has new WNBA rival LSU teammate snub

A new rivalry appears to be brewing in the WNBA, between two former college teammates.

The Seattle Storm cruised to a comfortable 105-90 win against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, in a game that pitted Angel Reese against Flau’jae Johnson.

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Both stars played college hoops at LSU, but it seems there’s no love lost between the two former Tigers.

Angel Reese snubs Flau’jae Johnson greeting

With 1:20 remaining in Saturday’s game, Storm players started to celebrate their win rather prematurely.

ESPN cameras captured Natisha Hiedeman and Johnson sharing a big hug, before the latter stepped away to seek out her ex-college teammate in what was their first meeting in the WNBA.

Johnson approached Reese, who last week broke an impressive rebound record, and put out her arm for a handshake.

The Dream star, though, completely ignored her and walked off.

The awkward moment was addressed by ESPN broadcasters, who suggested Reese was far from amused by Johnson’s greeting.

“Did you see what she just did to Angel?” color commentator Rebecca Lobo asked.

“Angel don’t think that was funny.”

The exchange quickly went viral on social media, with a clip shared by ESPN drawing more than two million views and hundreds of comments.

Many suggested that Johnson was wrong for seeking out Reese before the final buzzer.

ESPN

ESPN

“Respectfully I’m not mad at this. Save all that friendly s*** for when that clock hit 0:00,” one wrote on X.

“They have beef. She set Angel up because she knew Angel wasn’t gonna shake hands regardless,” another suggested.

“1:30 left in the game and you’re not on my team. FOH. We can shake hands after the game,” a third said.

“I don’t like all the hugging either. Just be opponents and play the f***ing game,” a fourth wrote.

“Revisit the dap after the game. Don’t ever be friendly with time left on the clock and I’m losing,” a fifth said.

Angel Reese has new rival after years of Caitlin Clark drama

Reese has long been pitted in a heated rivalry against fellow WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, which dates back to their time in college.

However, much of their ‘beef’ is driven by the media and their respective fanbases, with both consistently downplaying any personal animosity.

This weekend, it appears a new rivalry is bubbling for Reese, and it’s one that could be renewed when the Dream next face the Storm on Thursday, July 9.

Her decision to snub Johnson perhaps shouldn’t have come as a major surprise, as the Seattle rookie admitted last year that the pair are no longer close, despite winning a national championship together at LSU.

“We’re not friends.” Johnson said of Reese, during an appearance on The Breakfast Club.

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Getty

“But I mean, like, that bond that we had, and that thing we did together, win the national championship, you can never take that away from us.

“It was a lot of media, it was a lot of locker room stuff, you know what I’m saying?

“You know, sometimes, like, stuff happens, you wish it don’t happen but it do and you just gotta grow.”

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