Key Takeaways:
– Basketball star Angel Reese signs a multi-year NIL deal with Reebok.
– Reese becomes the first female face for Reebok’s basketball division.
– She cited three main reasons for choosing Reebok over Nike: the opportunity to be the female face, her relationship with Shaq, and freedom to create.
– The star athlete is also set to launch her own shoe line under Reebok in about two years.
Angel Reese, the phenomenal forward for the Chicago Sky, has inked a multi-year endorsement NIL deal with Reebok. This move makes her the first new basketball athlete to sign with Reebok since Shaquille O’Neal assumed his role as the president of their basketball division.
Reese’s Reebok Revelation
In a video that surfaced on May 3, Reese candidly expressed her reasons for aligning with Reebok. “So many different shoe companies wanted to work with me,” said Reese, “But I chose Reebok.” Expanding on her decision, Reese highlighted the absence of a female basketball player as the face of Reebok, her relationship with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, and the brand’s ongoing rebranding.
The ambitious athlete saw herself effortlessly fitting into the role of female lead for Reebok. “Reebok didn’t have a women’s basketball player [as] a face. So I wanted to be that,” Reese declared. An important factor for her was her bond with Shaq, who is not just the president of Reebok’s basketball division but also a mentor to Reese.
Another enticing factor was Reebok’s renewed branding strategy, which offered Reese the freedom to be the creative force behind her product line. The athlete revealed that Reebok would be giving her the reins on a new line of merchandise bearing her name, including what could be Reese’s signature shoe due in a couple of years.
Reese’s Choice Creates Ripples
While her personal choices influenced her preference for Reebok, Reese also confessed her disregard for the bandwagon effect. She emphasized, “I could have signed with Nike. I would have signed with Jordan. But like, everybody is doing that. Y’all know I don’t like doing what everybody does. I like to do the complete opposite.” The athlete sees her alliance with Reebok as a chance to build something unique and personally significant.
Shaq and Reese: A Holistic Partnership
Shaq’s appointment as Reebok’s basketball division president in October 2023 saw him catapult Reese towards this pivotal opportunity. Shaq, recognizing Reese’s influence on the game, said, “There is no one making a bigger impact on the game right now than Angel Reese.” The mutual admiration is evident as Reese expressed her honor in working closely with Shaq and the respected brand.
The bond shared by Shaq and Reese has caught the attention of Reebok’s top brass. Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky commented on Reese’s innate swag, style, irreverent personal brand, and overwhelming athleticism. “Her individuality and personal irreverence are helping transform college sports and inspiring an entire generation,” Krinsky emphasized.
Nike, Not Knocked Out
Despite missing the chance to sign Reese, Nike gained traction by signing the only other rookie comparable to Angel Reese in terms of popularity, Caitlin Clark. Clark signed a stupefying $28 million eight-year contract with Nike, which includes a signature shoe.
While Adidas and Under Armour made compelling offers, Clark’s commitment leaned towards Nike, revealing the brand’s undiminished gravitas in the sports footwear sector. The fact that Reebok did not approach Clark is indicative of their single-minded focus on Reese as their representative for women’s basketball, signaling a vital shift in the brand’s approach to the women’s basketball landscape.