Angel Reese Is Taking Her Game to the Next Level

Angel Reese was already a star, but when LSU won its first NCAA women’s basketball championship in school history in April, No. 10 knew things would never be the same. “My price just went up. Today’s price ain’t tomorrow’s price,” Reese told reporters that night—with a gold crown in front of her—post-game in Dallas before a journalist had yet to ask a question. But she had the stats to back up those statements. The championship title matchup between LSU and Iowa drew a record-breaking 9.9 million average viewers, cementing Reese as one of the most recognizable faces in college sports. In that moment, Reese was referring to name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, which officially kicked off in July 2021, allowing college athletes to receive financial compensation through marketing and promotional deals. Since the law came into effect, the basketball star has inked deals with Amazon, Airbnb, PlayStation and Mielle Organics, to name just a few. “I had already written down what I was going to say in the press conference [after the championship], because I already manifested I was going to be there,” Reese told Adweek. “Knowing my platform that I already had, I think, honestly, my life changed when I came to LSU because of how they helped me grow my platform throughout the whole year.” Prior to the NIL law, Reese could have lost her athletic scholarship for partnering with a single brand. Now, the registered senior at LSU and Adweek’s Champion of Change cover star for 2023 has an estimated NIL valuation of $1.7 million per year and a plethora of partnerships that would take pages to list. But before transferring to the Louisiana powerhouse—and winning the championship—her NIL deals weren’t nearly as lucrative. “I wasn’t getting much money. [It] was a lot more than other people—but [not] compared to the money I’m getting now ... It was about the same amount of money I was getting from my scholarship checks,” she said. The strength of the ‘Bayou Barbie’ Just last month, Reese signed an endorsement deal with Reebok, the first one under former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal’s new tenure as president of basketball for the brand. (He also attended LSU’s season opener on Nov. 6 in Las Vegas.) Also just announced is a deal with Tampax for its “A Better Way to Period” campaign. Alongside teammate Flau’jae Johnson, Reese stars in the campaign that brings visibility and education about menstruation to people everywhere. One of the most recognizable faces in college sports, the forward is also among the top female NIL earners in the country, behind only fellow LSU athlete and gymnast Livvy Dunne. At 21 years old, Reese is the No. 7 top-earning NIL athlete overall. As a senior at Baltimore’s Saint Frances Academy, Reese received scholarship offers from more than 24 Division I schools before eventually settling on the University of Maryland. She played at her home state school for two seasons, helping the Terps to a Big 10 title and a Sweet 16 appearance. Ahead of her junior year, Reese entered the transfer portal, eventually joining LSU and Coach Kim Mulkey. Shortly after her transfer to LSU, a fan nicknamed Reese the “Bayou Barbie”—a fitting moniker for an athlete who always has her nails, lashes and hair fully done on and off the court. That name quickly became trademarked—literally. “It helped me grow my brand, and people would yell down the street, ‘Bayou Barbie’! Which I love, because it’s changing the stereotype that you can be girlie off the court and on the court—and still be a dog on the court,” she said. “I got that name from them, and just being who I am.” The Bayou Barbie has become a household name, embodying a unique blend of fierce competitiveness and unapologetic femininity. By challenging norms and embracing multifaceted women, Reese has quickly built her social platforms to showcase her brand. “I came to LSU with 70,000 followers, and now I’m almost at 3 million,” said Reese. “It’s not just from the championship, but it’s from the things that led up to the championship as well.” Reese has 2.6 million followers each on Instagram and TikTok. She emphasizes that she only posts social content that aligns with her personal brand, which also translates to her partnerships. “I’ve always been authentic on my social media pages; I post things I do in my daily life,” said Reese. “I have a life outside of basketball. I like to model, I like to take pictures of my clothes. I’m into fashion a lot.” That comes through in some of the star’s most recent partnerships, including the first-of-its-kind deal with Reebok. The forward is the brand’s first major NIL signing, and she joins the likes of NFL quarterback Justin Fields and basketball legend Allen Iverson. Reese also locked in a deal earlier this year with fashion brand Coach—and then gifted the entire LSU team branded bags ahead of their game against Texas A&M on Feb. 5. When looking to partner with a brand, consistency and authenticity are paramount for Reese. “If I’ve used it before, it’s definitely an automatic yes. If I’m using it currently, I’m definitely wanting to use it again or work with them again,” she said. “[I look for] women in power. I’m a girlie girl. A lot of these brands that I have worked with, sometimes I’m the only woman on the brand, or the only Black woman on the brand as well.” But she doesn’t say yes to just everything. A “no” comes when Reese feels messages don’t align with her, or she thinks she “won’t really like [the brand] after the money comes.” “I just have to be smart about it, and it’s hard when people are offering you big checks. But if I don’t really like it, I don’t want to put it on my Instagram,” she said. With her earnings, Reese aims to help her mom, Angel Reese, retire; Reese credits her mom, who played college basketball for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as a huge part of her success. Additionally, she used her NIL earnings to launch the Angel C. Reese Foundation—which allowed her to provide a full scholarship for a player at her alma mater. Just getting started Should she choose to use it, Reese still has a year of eligibility left in the NCAA. When the current season opened on Nov. 6, one of the star’s favorite players, Candace Parker, served as an analyst for the LSU game against Colorado on TNT. Despite losing the season opener in a stunning upset against No. 20 Colorado—the first time a No. 1 team and defending champion lost an opener since the 1995-96 season—LSU has a promising season ahead. And while Reese is focused on going back-to-back this year, she’s also looking ahead to her professional career. “College basketball is more tuned-into than the WNBA,” added Reese. “It’s helped me a lot, being able to be in college and have LSU, that puts me out there.” While the WNBA is experiencing record viewership—the 2023 finals averaged 728,000 viewers on ESPN, the most-watched finals in 20 years—it still is a far cry from the 9.9 million for the NCAA finals. But Reese is planning to change that. “I think many people sleep on the WNBA a lot. I think [because I've grown] my platform in college as much as I can, these brands are going to want to work with me because of my platform, and how I’ve worked with them in the past. My name is still going to be what it is going into the WNBA,” she said. “If I can help grow the game as much as I can with these bigger brands and get more publicity to the WNBA, that’s my goal.” As recently as LSU’s season opener, many have pushed a narrative that heading to the WNBA reduces earning potential for women college basketball players. While it may be true that the maximum rookie salary in the league is $74,305 (compared to a rookie minimum of $953,000 in the NBA), Reese’s brand deals will come with her. “[NIL] has been amazing. I think about longevity. I want to play in the WNBA but also just be able to grow my platform off the court, as far as being a model ... and working with different brands to get my name out there now,” she said. “I don't feel like I'll be losing out on a lot of money," said Reese. “I'm working with a modeling agency, and being able to do these certain things that I can grow. That will also help when I go and get ready for the WNBA.” (Check out all the 2023 Champions of Change honorees here.) Angel’s Biggest Brand Deals Amazon: Reese and teammate Flau’jae Johnson starred in a back-to-school commercial for Amazon in July—giving viewers a glimpse inside their dorm rooms. “I like to do these deals in the summertime, but right now I’m only doing deals I can do in a day,” said Reese.Mielle Organics: Multicultural hair care brand Mielle tapped Reese in May as its newest ambassador—the star’s first major beauty deal.Reebok: Reese became the brand’s first major NIL deal—and the first signing under new president of basketball Shaquille O’Neal. The agreement upped Reese’s NIL value to $1.7 million per year.Starry: In June, Reese starred in a PepsiCo.-owned Starry commercial alongside NBA players Karl-Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson, throwing her now-famous “you can’t see me” gesture.Tampax: Johnson and Reese partnered yet again on "A Better Way to Period," this time about periods and menstrual health in a collaboration with Tampax. This story is part of the Power of Tech Marketing special feature.

Women in Sports

Angel Reese Is Taking Her Game to the Next Level—and Bringing Brands With Her

The basketball star is among the top female NIL earners in the US

Mollie Cahillane

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Mollie Cahillane