The Bayou Barbie’s championship tour will include a visit to the White House, after all.
The LSU women’s basketball team accepted an invitation to visit President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House on May 26, the team announced Monday.
The news came a few weeks after LSU basketball star Angel Reese — whose nickname is Bayou Barbie — publicly rejected the First Lady’s invitation for the national champion Lady Tigers to visit the White House.
Following LSU’s 102-85 win over Iowa — the Lady Tigers’ first championship in program history — Reese said it was “a joke” that Jill Biden also invited the Hawkeyes to visit the White House “because they played such a good game.”
An unapologetic Reese was vocal about her rejection of both teams visiting the White House, as it is a longstanding tradition that only the national championship winner visits the nation’s capital.
The newly announced Sports Illustrated model had a change of tune and said during an April appearance on “SportsCenter” that she would join her team in visiting the White House.
“In the beginning we were hurt — it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Reese said.
“You don’t get that experience [to go to the White House] ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that so I’m going to do what’s best for the team and we’ve decided we’re going to go.
“I’m a team player,” added Reese, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. “I’m going to do what’s best for the team. I’m the captain.”
Reese and her teammate, guard Alexis Morris (now of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun), previously floated the idea that the Lady Tigers celebrate with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, after he congratulated the team on Twitter.
Biden — who was in attendance for the championship contest in Dallas — suggested the Hawkeyes join the Lady Tigers in the visit during a speaking engagement in Denver last month.
Following the uproar, a spokesperson for Biden backtracked on the matter, explaining that the First Lady’s remarks were intended to applaud all women athletes.
“The First Lady loved watching the NCAA women’s basketball championship game alongside young student athletes and admires how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX,” Vanessa Valdivia wrote on Twitter.
“Her comments in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
At the time, President Biden invited the Lady Tigers to the White House, along with the men’s national champions, the UConn Huskies.
Reese also claimed that LSU declined to meet with Jill Biden prior to defeating Iowa — adding the team “didn’t want her coming into the locker room.”
In addition to visiting the White House, Reese will head to Colorado Springs later this month for the US team trials in advance of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, which will take place in Mexico this July.
The top NIL earner — who turned 21 on Saturday, and purchased a brand new Mercedes-Benz — said she is finishing finals at LSU this week.
The Lady Tigers add basketball as the fourth LSU sport to visit the White House in celebration of a national championship — joining baseball, football and track and field.
After LSU’s title win, it added top transfers Hailey Van Lith from Louisville and Aneesah Morrow from DePaul.
“It’s lit,” Reese told “Just Women’s Sports” while at Overtime’s Takeover event on Saturday, the day after Morrow announced her decision.
“They say we are building a superteam, so I’m excited.”