forward made an appearance on “,” a podcast co-hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson, in an episode that was published on Wednesday morning.
The recording of the episode took place before Reese was traded by the Chicago Sky to the Dream on April 6.
Obama and Robinson walked down memory lane with Reese, discussing her upbringing prior to her rapid rise to fame. Robinson, the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, said he’s been following Reese since she was at LSU. When Reese led LSU to the 2023 women’s basketball national championship and taunted Iowa star Caitlin Clark, she immediately became one of the more famous figures in American sports.
The notoriety came with significant support for Reese, but also made her the target of some prejudiced and hateful comments online.
Robinson asked Reese how she dealt with that attention at 20 years old.
“I don’t think anybody would ever understand,” Reese said. “I think it was a really pivotal point in my life. I think it was a character builder for me to be able to go through what I was going through, especially at a time where I won, but am I losing at the same time?
“It [happened] at a time when I’m being pulled by the wins, but I’m also getting pulled by the losses. How do I find a medium where I can just cope with both? In figuring that out, I’ve had to eliminate people out of my life, eliminate people out of my circle, being able to find people who just genuinely, outside of [being the] ‘Bayou Barbie, Chi-Town Barbie,’ outside of everything, Angel. Who’s [really around for] Angel? That’s really important for me, and just continuing to be confident.”
It was Reese’s first guest podcast appearance since recording a live sit-down interview with Speedy Morman at ComplexCon in November 2024.
“I’m intentional about who I share my space with — especially in the media,” Reese posted on X on Wednesday morning. “Sitting down with Michelle Obama and Mr. Craig felt like a breath of fresh air. Grateful for real conversation with people who genuinely understand and lead with care. Thank you.”
Obama told Reese she could relate to the amount of public scrutiny and online hate she receives, but applauded the way Reese has handled it all at 23 years old.
“You are handling yourself beautifully,” Obama said. “I mean, it’s not just what you do, but the way you carry yourself, girl.
“I mean, it is really a joy to watch you manage it all, and you do it with a smile on your face, with an excellent attitude.”