Last year, Angel Reese signed a multi-year contract to be the face of Reebok Basketball over industry giants like Nike and Jordan. In a recent TikTok Live session, Angel broke down her decision to sign with Reebok in three parts.
Angel's Three Reasons For Signing With Reebok
Angel The Face of Reebok Basketball
Reese's primary motivation for choosing Reebok is to be the face of women's basketball for the brand. Reebok, looking to reclaim its former glory from the '80s and '90s, presents Reese with the opportunity to lead the brand's charge in promoting and enhancing women's basketball worldwide. This role allows her to build her legacy and influence how the sport is perceived and marketed globally. With one NCAA Women's National Title and being the 7th pick in Round 1 of 2024's WNBA draft, Angel is poised to do so.
Angel's Relationship With Shaq
Reese values her relationship with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, President of Reebok's Basketball Division, which she considers influential in her decision. Not only are both LSU Alumni, O'Neal has served as a mentor to Reese by giving her valuable insight into navigating her career and enhancing her brand within the sports world.
Creative Control At Reebok
Reebok's willingness to grant Reese creative control over her branding initiatives, such as her shoe line and merchandise, was another crucial factor in her decision. This autonomy appeals to modern athletes increasingly interested in personalizing their brands and directly engaging with their audience. Reese emphasized that Reebok allows her to be "the creative behind like everything I want to do so like I'm my own shoe line and merch with my name on it," making her a "priority" within the brand, unlike what might have been possible with Nike or Jordan.
Impact of Angel Reese's Decision To Sign With Reebok
Reese's choice is also about differentiation. In her closing remarks, she expressed a desire to stand out in the market, suggesting that her decision was not only about what Reebok offered her in terms of contracts and opportunities but also about her brand and legacy.
Many of Angel's contemporaries, like Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, and A'ja Wilson, have signed with Nike. Breanna Stewart is the only current WNBA player with a signature shoe not signed by Nike. If Angel gets a signature shoe from Reebok, she will be the first woman to have a shoe at the brand since Rebecca Lobo in 1997!
Angel Reese's alignment with Reebok marks a pivotal moment in sports endorsements, particularly in how female athletes perceive and choose their brand partnerships. Her decision underscores a shift towards partnerships that offer personal growth, creative freedom, and the ability to influence a brand's trajectory, particularly in how it engages with and promotes women's sports. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Cole Townsend is a developer, designer, and Head of Tech at Sole Retriever. He does some writing on top of helping keep Sole Retriever running on web and mobile! In his spare time, you can find him out running. Cole was a graduate from Williams College.
