WNBA Legend Sue Bird Sends Message After Angel Reese’s Personal News

Reese’s commercial profile has grown significantly with the launch of her first signature sneaker, the Angel Reese 1 with Reebok. Released on Sept. 18 to rave reviews, the shoe dropped in three colorways — “Diamond Dust,” “Mebounds,” and “Receipts Ready” —  and she announced later that day that they all sold out.

Following the news, messages of support poured in from the sports world, including from WNBA great Sue Bird. 

During a recent episode of her podcast “A Touch More ,” co-hosted with Megan Rapinoe, Bird congratulated Reese for the major success of her new sneakers.

“For my A Touch More this week, I'm going to talk Reebok and how they dropped Angel Reese's signature shoe, the Angel Reese 1,” Bird said. “They dropped it in three colorways. It sold out in seconds as women's sports everything does. But just wanted to say congrats to Angel Reese. That's huge. The more signature shoes in the market, the better. So, congratulations to her.”

The Reebok deal places Reese in elite company, as she joins A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu as active WNBA players with signature shoes. Caitlin Clark is expected to join them in 2026 with Nike. Reese’s quick ascent in the sneaker market is a testament to her influence across both basketball and culture.

While her profile continues to rise off-the-court, questions remain about her future in Chicago. Earlier this month, her critical comments about the organization in the Chicago Tribune led to a brief suspension. Though she later apologized, she was sidelined for the final two games with a back injury, and speculation has persisted about her relationship with the Sky. 

Despite Chicago’s front office expressing confidence in her and affirming her as one of the team’s cornerstones, it’s unclear if she feels the same way. As the offseason approaches, the WNBA world will be watching closely to see how her situation develops and whether she remains in Chicago or seeks a new path elsewhere.