Angel Reese Details Reebok Decision After LSU Title, Mentorship From Shaquille O’Neal

That opportunity eventually arrived during her junior season when LSU defeated Caitlin Clark’s Iowa, further elevating Angel Reese’s profile. After that, Shaquille O’Neal reached out again, this time offering mentorship rather than pressure. She added, “He was like, ‘Anything you ever need, I’ll make sure I get it for you, or I’ll help you out.’”

With several brands pursuing her after the title run, Angel Reese said her final choice centered on impact and representation. She explained that she prioritized Reebok, saying, “I want to go where I’m prioritized. And to be prioritized as a woman, as a Black woman, and helping a brand to come back and regenerate where it was, that was something that was really important to me.”

With Shaquille O’Neal taking charge of rebuilding Reebok basketball in 2023, the brand mattered to Reese. Moreover, he assured her that he would make her the “face of the brand”.

With that decision, Angel Reese became the 15th WNBA player to receive a signature sneaker. To top it off, Angel Reese 1 sold out across all 24 sizes shortly after its release, proving its success.

Angel Reese Justified Reebok’s Early Bet

Since Angel Reese signed with Reebok ahead of her 2024 WNBA season, the brand committed to launching her signature shoes in 2025. It came out across three colorways.

Reese repaid that faith with her rookie campaign. She became the fastest WNBA player to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds. Reese also recorded a 28-game streak of double-digit rebounds, the longest in the league. By the end of her rookie season with the Chicago Sky, she averaged 13.6 PPG and 13.1 RPG.

The sneaker’s reach expanded further when NBA players Tari Eason and Wendell Carter Jr. donned it, boosting visibility in basketball circles.