LSU women's basketball star “Bayou Barbie” Angel Reese is partnering with Reebok for a historic NIL deal that marks the first move of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal as the brand’s President of Basketball.
On Tuesday, October 17, Reebok tweeted, “Reebok x Angel Reese – We’re proud to announce a new partnership with college hoops star @Reese10Angel,” along with a hype video of the LSU women’s basketball star putting on gold jewelry with Reebok logos.
This NIL deal is the first of its kind for Reebok. The sneaker and athletic apparel company hasn’t jumped into the world of college athletes until now.
The partnership is the latest from Reebok, which is striving to breathe life back into its basketball brand. To do this, the company has appointed Shaquille O'Neal as the President of Basketball and fellow NBA icon Allen Iverson as the Vice President of Basketball.
O’Neal was the first Reebok signature athlete back in the late 1990s, and the Shaq Attaq was the company’s first signature shoe. A few years later, Reebok signed Iverson, and he and his The Answer sneakers helped propel the company to new heights.
Reese is the most marketable player in the women’s game after helping lead the LSU women’s basketball team to a national championship last season. According to On3, her NIL valuation is $1.7 million, which is the seventh-highest in all of college sports, second in basketball to USC freshman and son of LeBron James, Bronny James ($5.9 million), second among all women behind LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne ($3.2 million), and highest among women’s basketball players.
“Bayou Barbie” and the Tigers will be a powerhouse both on and off the court this season. The team is the favorite to repeat as champions and also features the No. 2 and No. 5 NIL earners in the sport behind Reese, with sophomore Flau’Jae Johnson and Louisville junior transfer Hailey Van Lith.