LSU women’s basketball star Angel Reese will make her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut in the 2023 issue later this month.
In the meantime, we are getting a quick preview of what it is come.
Reese, nicknamed the Bayou Barbie, guided the Tigers to their first NCAA championship in program history last month and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
The 6’3” forward captivated the nation after she openly mocked Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark during and after the game. She also refused to apologize.
“Angel Reese is a phenomenal basketball player,” SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day says. “She’s an All- American and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. While we’re of course here to celebrate her incredible achievements and athleticism, it wouldn’t be an SI Swimsuit moment if we weren’t shining a light on Angel’s achievements off the court.
“Angel is combating the double standard in sports, especially for women. She is making a name for herself as a fierce competitor and an equally fierce advocate for growing the game of women’s basketball. Her intensity, drive, and passion around being unapologetically herself and speaking up for what she believes in is helping move the needle forward for women in sports and is liberating the next generation to feel seen and heard. Our goal here is to help empower as many women as we can, and we’re beyond excited to do that alongside Angel Reese in the 2023 issue.”
Reese posed for the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in Los Angeles, where she was photographed by Yu Tsai.
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“I had on thong bathing suits and I didn’t think I was going to be comfortable, but [everyone] made me feel really comfortable,” she says. “I work out a lot. I embrace my body and who I am and every mark on my body. I probably feel the sexiest in a bathing suit.”
Reese taunting Clark has left no hard feelings as she revealed.
“Caitlin and I are cool,” Reese says. “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.”
Everything changed for Reese after she left Maryland after two seasons to join a burgeoning team built by Louisiana native Kim Mulkey.
Reese’s popularity has led to name, image, and likeness deals that put her reported valuation at $1.3 million and her social media count at more than 4 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
Next season, the LSU Tigers will be even more dangerous after DePaul transfer Aneesah Morrow, widely considered one of the top transfers in women’s college basketball, announced her commitment to LSU. She averaged 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season.
Senior guard Hailey Van Lith also announced she is transferring to LSU for the 2023-24 season. Van Lith is coming off a career year, as she averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals per game last season.
