Baton Rouge, LA – A return to your alma mater after making history should feel like a hero’s welcome — but for Angel Reese, it was anything but.

The former LSU star and self-declared face of women’s basketball came back to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for a WNBA preseason game with the Chicago Sky, expecting roaring crowds and adoration. Instead, she was greeted by thousands of empty seats, despite ticket prices dropping as low as $11.

The arena, which seats over 13,000, drew only 6,373 fans. That’s less than half-capacity — a stunning contrast to the packed stadiums during Reese’s college championship run just a year ago.

The Empty Seats Speak Loudly

This was supposed to be a moment of triumph — a professional return for the woman who once declared, “People are watching women’s basketball because of me too.”

But where were those fans now?

The optics were hard to ignore. Vast empty rows. Silent corners of the arena. And a glaring question: If Angel Reese is such a generational draw, why couldn’t she fill half her home gym?

Social media quickly noticed. Clips of vacant sections circulated with captions like “Y’all said she was a superstar…” and “You can’t even give these tickets away.”

Mom Jumps In — And Makes It Worse

As the backlash grew, Angel’s mother entered the fray. In a defensive tweet, she took aim at Caitlin Clark fans — indirectly accusing them of focusing on ticket sales instead of championships. Her post read:

“That certain fan base looking in the stands celebrating attendance while others are looking up in the rafters celebrating championship banners. We ain’t the same.”

But critics were quick to point out — Reese wasn’t playing college ball anymore. Her WNBA return was the topic, and the empty seats were speaking louder than any banner on the wall.

A Role Shift That Could Hurt Even More

If the lack of support wasn’t enough, things may soon get harder on the court. Chicago Sky’s new head coach Tyler Marsh has announced plans to shift Reese’s role — pulling her out of the paint and transforming her into a stretch-four. The only problem? Her shooting stats don’t back that up.

Effective FG%: 39.5% (worst among WNBA players with real minutes)

3-point shooting: 18.8%

Within 5 feet: 39% — the lowest in the league

As Chicago prioritizes Camila Cardoso as the primary interior presence, Reese may lose the rebounding opportunities that made her a double-double machine. Moving to the perimeter, where she has historically struggled, could limit her impact — and highlight her weaknesses.

Meanwhile… Caitlin Clark is Selling Out Stadiums

While Reese couldn’t fill 50% of her home gym, Caitlin Clark’s Fever homecoming at Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena sold out in minutes. Fans snapped up tickets for hundreds of dollars — even for a preseason exhibition.

Clark’s WNBA debut pulled in 2.25 million viewers, the most-watched game in the league in decades. Her jersey became the best-selling rookie jersey ever — before she even stepped on a pro court.

And yet, Clark doesn’t boast. She doesn’t tweet about being the reason people watch. She just plays. The numbers do the talking.

A Reckoning for Reese

Angel Reese has the personality, the brand deals, and the headlines. But if the WNBA is about performance and draw — not just hype — her lackluster homecoming was a reality check.

Being marketable isn’t about what you say. It’s about who shows up.

And this time, they didn’t.