Angel Reese, who recently won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, has made it clear that when it comes to building her brand she is not interested in accepting every endorsement deal that comes her way.
Winning Formula
The WNBA star has turned her visibility on the court into a growing business empire. But Reese says she learned early that not every opportunity is worth accepting simply because it comes with a paycheck.
“All money isn’t good money,” Reese said in a 2023 interview with Teen Vogue that recently resurfaced on Basketball Network. Reese, who was then still playing for her LSU college team, said she tries to make sure the products she promotes are things she genuinely likes, eats, wears or uses.
Reese has often credited her mother for helping shape her drive and determination. Her mother, Angel Webb Reese, was a single mother who raised Angel and her younger brother, Julian, after separating from their father, Michael Reese. During an August 2026 appearance on the “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” podcast, Reese talked about her upbringing and her mother’s role in supporting her basketball journey. Reese explained that she understood early on that earning a college scholarship through basketball was important. “So, I always wanted to make sure I did it for my mom,” she explained about her personal motivation behind her pursuit of basketball and business opportunities.
Reese entered the WNBA after being selected No. 7 overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 draft. Her rookie salary, however, was a fraction of the money available to her through endorsements and other business opportunities. In fact, she famously said that her WNBA salary didn’t cover her rent.
In 2025, Forbes estimated Reese earned $9.4 million in total earnings in 2025, with $74,909 in on-court earnings. The numbers illustrate why building a business outside basketball has been such an important part of her career.
Rather than simply chasing the biggest checks, Reese has focused on partnerships that fit her public image and interests.
In 2023, she signed a multiyear partnership with Reebok instead of Nike or Jordan, eventually becoming the face of her own signature footwear line. The Angel Reese 1 has since expanded her relationship with the athletic brand.
Her endorsement portfolio also has included McDonald’s, Victoria’s Secret, Beats by Dre, NBA 2K, Hershey’s, PlayStation, Cash App, and other major companies.
