The Sports Illustrated swimsuit photos featuring LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne created quite a stir on the internet. In an effort to replicate the same success, Sports Illustrated chose to feature LSU basketball star Angel Reese, also known as the Bayou Barbie.
Angel Reese was already quite popular on social media and in the basketball world. After LSU’s victory over Iowa in the National Championship game, Reese gained even more attention when she trolled Iowa’s star player, Caitlin Clark. Although some individuals criticized her actions, most fans showed her support. She saw an increase in her social media following and NIL earnings, which allowed her to purchase a Mercedes Benz.
As a result of her growing popularity, Angel Reese was selected as one of the cover models for the SI Swimsuit issue.
A record 9.9 million people tuned in for the NCAA women’s basketball final last month, a history-making moment for the sport and the first-time champion LSU. It was also a game-changer for star forward Angel Reese, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
“Having so many people come back to me and say, ‘You guys have changed the game. You guys have been a part of history,’ I embraced that,” Reese says. “Just being able to be a part of this has just been amazing for me this year, and it’s been a blessing.”
Reese, who transferred to LSU after two years at Maryland, was the nation’s No. 2 recruit in the class of 2020. She has made the most of the move: Reese is one of the top NIL earners at $1.3 million with deals for Coach, Amazon Merch on Demand, McDonald’s and Mercedes-Benz Baton Rouge, to name just a few. Adding to her recent list of accolades, Reese will make her debut in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue this month.
Reese may have made headlines for that John Cena “you can’t see me” hand wave toward Iowa’s Caitlin Clark in the NCAA championship game, but the junior forward says too much was made about the viral moment.
“Caitlin and I are cool,” says Reese, who is tired of the pitting-women-against-women narrative. “It’s just being able to force people to accept that women can talk trash. The women’s side gets penalized for it or we’re considered as not being ladylike and that we’re not playing by the rules. We work just as hard as the men. Women can be who we are; women can be competitive.”
Reese and LSU will try to repeat next season.
Flip the pages for all the Swimsuit photos and videos.