On the heels of putting two NBA greats—Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson—in charge of its basketball line relaunch, sports brand Reebok has made another major move by signing LSU basketball star Angel Reese to the first major NIL deal in its history.
Reebok x Angel Reese – We’re proud to announce a new partnership with college hoops star @Reese10Angel 🏀 https://t.co/d1sVp6KiCK pic.twitter.com/AopSQWvKho
— Reebok (@Reebok) October 17, 2023
“For my first appointment in this role, it had to be the GOAT,” O’Neal said. “There is no one making a bigger impact on the game right now than Angel Reese.” O’Neal, the five-time NBA champion, is a former LSU basketball great who signed his first major shoe deal with Reebok, making Reese’s historic deal that much sweeter.
“I am honored to be working closely with one of my longtime mentors, Shaq, along with a brand that I have admired since I was just a little kid,” Reese said. “It means the world to me that they trust in me to extend their legacy to a new generation.”
O’Neal has been vocal about his admiration for the 6’3” college junior who averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds per game for the Tigers last season before being named the 2023 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and leading her team to a national championship.
LSU’s game against the University of Iowa in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final was the most-watched championship game in history, drawing a record 9.9 million viewers.
Reese has also been bringing in the big bucks by way of some pretty lucrative brand deals. According to On3 Elite, the “Bayou Barbie” has over $1.7 million in NIL endorsements with companies ranging from McDonald’s to Airbnb. In May, Mielle Organics announced Reese as its official brand ambassador. There’s no word on the dollar amount of Reese’s Reebok deal.