Louisiana State University champion Angel Reese is entering a new phase in her college basketball career. The 20-year-old is one of the most sought-after student-athletes in the country, as she has signed the most NIL deals in college basketball. Reese boasts 17 deals with brands such as Bose, JanSport and Wingstop.
Fans can now purchase her official LSU jersey — with profits going toward each player — and the merchandise she sells on her website.
Her agent said brands have been calling since LSU won the championship against the Iowa Hawkeyes on April 2.
“She’s not just a student-athlete anymore or a marketable women’s basketball player where we’re doing these one-off deals,” Jeanine Ogbonnaya told On3. “I think at this point, she’s got the following to back it up where she can be doing long-term partnerships that truly align with her brand and her messaging, and finding those brands that align with that as well.”
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Reese is eyeing new deals in modeling and the fashion and lifestyle spaces. On social media, her star power is immediately apparent. In just a few days, Reese hit 1.4 million followers on Instagram and 1.5 million on TikTok. The champion counted 450,000 followers on Instagram before March Madness started, according to Sportico.
According to her website, this has increased the earning potential for sponsored posts to $2,974, an increase of approximately $1,200.
In February, her team submitted a trademark application for her nickname, “Bayou Barbie.” They expect to hear back sometime next year as the process usually takes around 12 months, according to On3.
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Reese’s success is well-deserved for a college athlete of her caliber. The final between LSU and Iowa was the most viewed women’s college basketball game — racking up around 10 million viewers, reported Sportico. The NCAA named Reese Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
The 20-year-old also went viral for her “You can’t see me” hand gesture and for initially refusing Jill Biden’s invitation to the White House.
“In the beginning, we were hurt — it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Reese told ESPN. “You don’t get that experience [to go to the White House] ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure, and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team, and we’ve decided we’re going to go.”
She had initially refused to go as the first lady suggested the runners-up would also be invited to the White House, which had never been done before.
