Two years ago, Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese were inseparable. Their camaraderie during LSU’s championship run, their calling each other sisters, and their having each other’s backs all pointed to a long-term friendship in the making.
Things changed after the athletes’ mothers exchanged pointed messages on social media in November 2023. The rift never mended, but Johnson’s recent actions hinted at the true nature of the bad blood between her and Reese.
What Did Flau’jae Johnson Say About Angel Reese’s Victoria’s Secret Runway Debut?
Angel Reese recently made history as the first professional athlete to walk for Victoria’s Secret on October 15 in New York.
In an interview with CHAMPSIDE, Flau’jae Johnson was asked for her reaction to Reese’s achievement.
“I thought she ate!” Johnson replied at first. But she quickly caught herself. For those who don’t know, “ate” is one of the internet’s favorite words to praise someone for doing something exceptionally well.
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“That was hard,” Johnson offered a more toned-down reaction. “My bad.”
The interviewer assured her that she should feel free to say anything she wanted, but Johnson corrected him. “No, I can’t. My mom would kill me. That was hard, though, yeah, for sure.”
The moment was fleeting but loaded. To a keen observer, it could read that there are lines Johnson feels she can’t cross publicly. Whether that boundary is rooted in family expectations, public scrutiny, or any lingering tension is unclear. But it does lend some credence to the rumor that her and Reese’s falling-out largely stemmed from their mothers’ online spat.
What Happened Between Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese?
According to several reports from 2023, the feud began when Reese’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, made a cryptic post about people “needing to learn grammar before speaking publicly.” It was allegedly aimed at Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, who fired back in an Instagram comment.
“You definitely know about grammar errors when your daughter got a 2.0-or-less grade point average,” she wrote. “Stop being petty, fake and hateful, and take responsibility for you and your daughter’s actions.”
Neither party confirmed the rift till much later.
In June 2025, Johnson said on “The Breakfast Club” that she and Reese were no longer friends. As for the reason, she blamed “a lot of media, a lot of locker room stuff, and stuff that goes on behind the scenes.”
The Chicago Sky star admitted something similar during a September 2024 episode of her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast. “There’s no hard feelings or anything, but we aren’t as close as we used to be,” Reese said.
Despite all, the two have never trashed each other and have always shown respect and support for each other’s careers. Maybe, in the distant future, they could find a way back to their LSU-era friendship.
For now, Johnson seems intent on walking a delicate line. She refuses to sever respect for Reese’s achievements publicly, but also signals that she must stay within the limits set by private hurt.
