Kim Mulkey celebrates Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson reunion before Dream-Storm game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Few coaches have watched more future WNBA stars develop than Kim Mulkey, and Thursday night offered another proud moment for the LSU legend.
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Before the Atlanta Dream hosted the Seattle Storm, Mulkey took to social media to celebrate a reunion between two key pieces of LSU’s 2023 national championship team: Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson.
“Wow! I watched my girls bring a Natty to LSU and now I’m seeing them shine in the WNBA! Proud to watch these two LSU Tigers tonight in Atlanta! Tune in on Prime Video at 7:00 pm CT!” Mulkey wrote.
Her post resonated with LSU fans, who remember Reese and Johnson helping deliver the program’s first NCAA women’s basketball national championship. Now, just three years later, the former teammates have become two of the WNBA’s brightest stars, meeting for the first time this season as opponents.
Kim Mulkey reflects on LSU’s championship legacy
Reese and Johnson helped transform LSU into one of the premier programs in women’s college basketball.
Reese arrived in Baton Rouge before the 2022-23 season and immediately became one of the nation’s most dominant players. She averaged a double-double throughout LSU’s title run and was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading the Tigers to a championship victory over Iowa.
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Johnson, meanwhile, burst onto the scene as a freshman, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors while providing scoring, defense and energy throughout the Tigers’ memorable season. She would go on to become a two-time First-Team All-SEC selection and one of the faces of the program before entering the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Mulkey’s message served as a reminder of just how much talent that championship roster produced.
MORE: Angel Reese’s fit with Dream questioned as Atlanta’s losing streak exposes bigger issue
Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson are thriving as professionals
Both players entered Thursday’s matchup playing significant roles for their respective teams.
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Reese has continued to establish herself as one of the WNBA’s elite forwards with the Dream, averaging 14.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals through 21 games. The 24-year-old has recorded double-doubles in four of her last five appearances and remains one of the league’s top rebounders despite Atlanta entering the contest on a five-game losing streak.
Johnson has enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign after being selected eighth overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft before being traded from the Golden State Valkyries to the Storm on draft night.
The rookie guard entered Thursday averaging 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. She has shown flashes of the complete game that made her a star at LSU, including a recent stretch in which she scored at least 20 points in three of five games. Johnson also had one of her best performances of the season against Atlanta on June 27, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in Seattle’s 105-90 victory.
A reunion years in the making
Although Reese and Johnson now wear different uniforms, the bond forged during LSU’s championship run remains strong. The duo helped elevate the Tigers into a national powerhouse while becoming two of the most recognizable names in women’s basketball. Their success at LSU also helped fuel the sport’s rapid growth, drawing record television audiences and increasing attention on the women’s game.
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Thursday’s matchup in Atlanta wasn’t just another regular-season game. It was a reunion of two national champions whose journeys began together under Mulkey before taking them to different corners of the WNBA. For LSU fans, and Mulkey herself, it was another chance to see two former Tigers continue the legacy they started in Baton Rouge.
