In their first meeting as professional opponents, former LSU teammates Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson exchanged an awkward on-court moment late in the Seattle Storm’s 105-90 victory over the Atlanta Dream on June 27.
With more than a minute remaining and the Storm comfortably ahead in what became a blowout, Johnson extended her hand toward Reese in an apparent gesture of acknowledgment or sportsmanship. Reese did not reciprocate and continued moving, according to video clips that quickly circulated on social media and were highlighted during ESPN’s broadcast. Johnson appeared momentarily confused before the two went their separate ways.
The Storm, led by rookie Flau’jae Johnson’s 24 points and 11 rebounds, never trailed and improved their record while handing the Dream (now 12-7) a decisive loss. The moment has since sparked widespread discussion online about sportsmanship, competitiveness, and the personal history between the two players.
Flau'jae Johnson tried to give her former LSU teammate Angel Reese a handshake with more than a minute left in the game.
Friday's matchup was their first meeting as opponents in the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/68ZosBObKl
— ESPN (@espn) June 28, 2026
Shared History at LSU
Reese and Johnson were key contributors to LSU’s 2023 NCAA national championship team. They were once close friends and teammates, but their relationship has publicly cooled since Reese departed for the WNBA after the 2023-24 season. Johnson, drafted eighth overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Golden State Valkyries and later traded to Seattle, entered the league as a highly touted rookie.
In 2025 interviews, both players addressed the change in their dynamic. Johnson told The Breakfast Club that they are “not friends” but emphasized that “that bond that we had and that thing we did together, win a national championship, you can never take that away from us.” She attributed the distance to “a lot of media, it was a lot of locker room stuff… Stuff that goes on behind the scenes.” Reese had previously stated on her podcast that she still supports Johnson, there are “no hard feelings,” but they “aren’t as close as we used to be.”
Family Context and Past Tension
The public acknowledgment of strain traces back to late 2023, during LSU’s title defense season. Reese’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, and Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, engaged in a social media exchange. Webb Reese reportedly criticized grammar in messages or posts; Brooks responded by referencing Reese’s reported GPA and urging accountability. Reese was benched in one game that season amid reported team and eligibility discussions. Both families’ statements at the time and since have framed the episode as resolved personally, though it contributed to the visible cooling of the players’ friendship.
Neither Reese nor Johnson has publicly commented on the specific June 27 handshake moment as of this writing.
