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LSU basketball star Angel Reese said she’s going to do what’s best for her team and celebrate the Tiger’s NCAA National Championship win at the White House, despite her previous snub of Dr. Jill Biden‘s invite. The 20-year-old star athlete appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Friday, April 7 and said she is putting her feelings aside after Biden suggested both LSU and the losing team, Iowa, be invited to 16o0 Pennsylvania Ave.
“I’m a team player, I’m gonna do what’s best for the team.” @Reese10Angel confirms she’ll join LSU at the White House.
(via @RandyScottESPN) pic.twitter.com/aY89aL6VS2
— ESPN (@espn) April 7, 2023
“In the beginning we were hurt — it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Angel explained on SportsCenter. “You don’t get that experience [to go to the White House] ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team and we’ve decided we’re going to go.”
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She added, “I’m a team player and I’m going to do what’s best for the team, I’m the captain.”
The turnabout comes only a few days after it appeared Angel and her Tigers weren’t going to be part of the Washington D.C. celebration. At the time, Angel appeared adamant about not accepting the invite, after Jill added a plus one for Iowa and broke tradition, as only the national champions usually receive an invitation to the White House, not the runner ups.
Her comments in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.
— Vanessa Valdivia (@vvaldivia46) April 4, 2023
After the backlash, Jill’s press secretary, Vanessa Valdivia, offered up an explanation on Twitter, saying The First Lady’s comments “were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
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“I don’t accept that — I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t accept that apology because she said what she said,” the LSU sophomore explained during an April 4 appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast. “You can’t go back on certain things that you say.”
Jill’s initial remarks that ignited the drama came shortly after LSU’s win against Iowa. “I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come but I’m going to tell Joe [Biden] I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game,” she said at the time.
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Angel then implied that Biden extended an invitation to Iowa only because of a double standard and of the disapproval over Angel’s taunting of Iowa’s star player Caitlin Clark. “I just know if the roles were reversed, it wouldn’t be the same,” she continued on I Am Athlete podcast. “If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House. I remember she made a comment that both teams should be invited because it was about sportsmanship. And I’m like, are you saying that because of what I did?” she questioned, referencing the taunt.
She even suggested the Tigers should instead celebrate their national championship with former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama rather than with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill.
Meanwhile, Iowa’s coach Lisa Bluder thanked Jill for the offer but politely declined. “I gratefully acknowledge the First Lady’s sentiments, but a day at the White House should belong solely to the champion, LSU and Coach Mulkey,” she tweeted. “We would welcome the First Lady and President to come to Iowa’s ‘House’ – Carver Hawkeye Arena — any time!”
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