At just 21, Angel Reese has been instrumental in elevating the profile of women’s college basketball, rivaling its male counterpart in popularity. The standout player from Louisiana State University has decided to forgo her senior year, officially declaring her intention to enter the WNBA draft.
WNBA Bound
Many found out the news after Vogue dropped an exclusive on April 3, sharing the news in an article titled, “Angel Reese Is Taking Her Talents to the WNBA.”
“I’ve done everything I wanted to in college,” Angel told the fashion magazine. “I’ve won a national championship, I’ve gotten [Southeastern Conference] Player of the Year, I’ve been an All-American. My ultimate goal is to be a pro — and to be one of the greatest basketball players to play, ever. I feel like I’m ready.”
By all accounts, she is ready. In less than a decade, she went from being a little girl from the “Old Line State,” to one of the most bankable names in sports.
Reese’s Net Worth Keeps Rising
The Maryland native has been a basketball standout from an early age. In high school, she showcased her skills at Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy, garnering 24 scholarship offers from Division 1 programs.
While initially committing to the University of Maryland and playing two seasons there, she transferred to LSU in May 2022. At LSU, Reese emerged as a dominant force, quickly assuming a leadership role. In her second year, she played a pivotal role in securing the 2023 NCAA national championship for her team. In 2024, Reese ranks second in offensive rebounds per game and boasts an average of 20.1 points per game.
A 2023 Sponsor United reported Angel boasts an impressive tally of 17 NIL sponsorship deals, proving to be a slam dunk of an investment for multiple corporations.
This is significant as it lands the three-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year in the fifth spot for most NIL deals overall and ranking as the second-highest female athlete in deal-making, behind softball player Lauren Burke.
Some of the brands that have offered her deals are PlayStation, Tampax, Mielle Organics, JanSport, Sports Illustrated, Calvin Klein, Reebok, Starry, Raising Canes, McDonald’s, Coach, Wingstop, Outback Steakhouse, and Amazon, according to On 2 Elite.
While the Bayou Barbie’s exact net worth remains unspecified, her NIL value is estimated to be around $1.8 million, according to Total Pro Sports.
An NIL deal stands for “Name, Image, and Likeness,” enabling college athletes to capitalize on their personal brand without jeopardizing their amateur status. Until recent rule changes, NCAA regulations barred athletes from profiting from their NIL.
However, in recent years, both individual U.S. states and the NCAA have implemented new rules, permitting athletes to pursue endorsement deals, sponsorships, and other income-generating opportunities.
One of these deals, struck up last October was with Reebok. The athletic wear company, known for dripping their players in custom sneakers and apparel, created a jewelry line for Reese. She announced the paid partnership on her social media.
“Reebok x Angel Reese – We’re proud to announce a new partnership with college hoops star @angelreese10,” both Reebok and the baller posted on Instagram.
In March 2024, in the thick of March Madness, Reese secured a sponsorship deal with Goldman Sachs, distinct from product endorsements, focusing instead on advocacy. The LSU standout partnered with the financial giant to champion the One Million Black Women campaign. This initiative aims to amplify Black women’s voices to policymakers in Washington, D.C.
The deals are so plentiful for Reese, that she said on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss in 2023 that she was in “no rush to go to the [WNBA] league.”
Adding, “The money I’m making is more than some of the people that are in the league that might be top players.”
In the WNBA, top-tier players such as Jewell Loyd, Diana Taurasi, and Arike Ogunbowale have a salary cap hit of $234,936 each, collectively making them the highest-paid trio in the league.
It is not all about making money for Reese.
The baller also has a heart and founded the Angel Reese Foundation in her hometown in Maryland and Baton Rouge to help marginalized communities.
According to the foundation’s website, its mission is “dedicated to fostering equity for girls and underrepresented groups through innovative and impactful initiatives,” and “to ensure equal opportunities for all girls in sports, education, financial literacy, and other areas where girls have been historically overlooked.”
Reese might not have finished her college career the way she planned, but it seems like she’s making the financial steps to set up her future.
