Popular Twitch streamer Duke Dennis backs LSU's Angel Reese amid harsh criticism: "I know y'all love to hop on a bandwagon"

LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese recently announced a decision regarding her future by declaring for the 2024 WNBA draft after getting eliminated from the 2024 Big Dance by the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The stylish forward, who registered 17 points, 20 rebounds and four assists in the Elite Eight clash, has come in for criticism from fans and analysts after revealing that she has been a victim of bullying since she became a celebrity.

Popular Twitch streamer Duke Dennis came to her defense after all the criticism that she has faced lately.

"A lot of people on the internet say that Angel Reese doesn't look good, stop!" Dennis said. "I know you love to hop on the bandwagon when it comes to hating on sh*t but stop! Come on now, they don't even believe that, talking about she ain't tough. You don't even believe that and she hoops and she can dress and she's tall. I'm giving compliments."

Angel Reese doesn't shift the blame

Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers had a decent recovery from a lights-out shooting bonanza by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes at the start of their epic Elite Eight matchup.

They led at halftime as Reese went 5 of 7 for 10 points before disaster struck, and she fell into a bank of cameras. She reinjured her ankle, which had originally been injured during the SEC Tournament championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

She left the game for treatment, a spin on the bike and went straight back in even though she favored the ankle. Reese went 2 of 14 for just seven points the rest of the game as the sensational Caitlin Clark took charge of the rest of the contest.

During what turned out to be her last LSU game, the often controversial Angel Reese battled through to play 36 minutes of the encounter.

During her postgame news conference, the LSU forward revealed that although her ankle injury bothered her throughout the game, she would not use it as an excuse to justify the narrow 94-87 loss.

"I'm tough, so I tried to play through it, of course, and this is something that has been going on for a little while now," Reese said. "But I played through it, and I'm not going to make that excuse for the rest of my play for the game."

Reese's teammate Flau'jae Johnson came to her defense during the postgame news conference, highlighting her perseverance as proof of her mental fortitude and attitude towards the game.

"I saw her limping, but that goes to show the type of person she is," Johnson said. "She's not going to make excuses. She's just going to take that on the chin. I respect that. That shows how much she cares about the game and her integrity to the game."

Even as Angel Reese departs for the WNBA, LSU Tigers fans will look back fondly on her two years with the school, both for the brilliant moments and the instances where she battled through the pain barrier.