Angel Reese faced Raven Johnson for the first time in the WNBA. They shared a special moment ahead of tip-off.
The former SEC stars hugged before the Atlanta Dream-Indiana Fever game on Thursday. Their interaction showed the respect they have for each other following their battles in college.
The former LSU star also had a brief chat with the rookie out of South Carolina. Johnson enjoyed more team success in the NCAA, winning the national championship twice. Reese, on the other hand, captured the title with the Tigers in 2023 and earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.
The WNBA posted the clip of their heartwarming moment on X.
"SEC runs strong 💪 Former @LSUwbkb forward Angel Reese embraces previous @GamecockWBB Raven Johnson ahead of tip-off!" the league wrote.
Reese did her best to lead Atlanta to victory, posting another double-double. She finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
However, Johnson and the Fever prevailed on the night. The 5-foot-8 guard contributed five points, two rebounds and three assists off the bench to support Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. The trio combined for 61 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists to lead Indiana to an 83-71 victory.
The win also snapped the Fever's two-game losing streak and brought its record back to above .500.
Johnson and the Fever will meet the Dream three more times this season. They will all be nationally televised and are expected to draw a lot of viewers, especially with Clark and Reese headlining the matchups.
