Angel Reese has never been shy about standing apart from the crowd. But this time, her fashion choice has sparked a debate that reaches beyond personal style.

At the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Reese was spotted arriving in a vintage Reebok tracksuit inspired by the Dream Team era rather than the official Nike team version. Nice Kicks highlighted the look on X, writing, “Angel Reese stayed loyal to Reebok, pulling up to the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in a vintage Dream Team-era tracksuit instead of the team’s Nike tracksuit.” Former U.S. Olympian Mechelle Chanai Lewis Freeman had a blunt response: “How sway??? She isn’t bigger than the team. No one is. Ever.” (now deleted X post).

Reese’s choice wasn’t exactly a surprise. Her connection with Reebok goes back to 2023, when she signed a multiyear NIL deal with the brand. She had other options, including Nike and Jordan, but Reebok gave her something she wanted: room to build something of her own.

That has always been a big part of Reese’s approach. She isn’t interested in simply following the biggest names in the room. She wants to put her own stamp on whatever she does.

Reebok, she said, did not have a women’s basketball player serving as a face of the brand, giving her an opportunity to fill that space. Her relationship with Shaq was another factor, while the company’s rebranding strategy gave her creative freedom.

“I wanted to be a priority,” Reese said. “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 do. I like to do the complete opposite.”

Then came the line that summed up her approach: “I’m bringing Reebok back.”
That mindset has followed Reese well beyond footwear. The 24-year-old has built a personal brand that mixes basketball, fashion, and lifestyle content, something that has occasionally placed her in the middle of online criticism.

Angel Reese has refused to apologize for embracing her identity.

Recently, Reese addressed another wave of criticism on her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, after swimsuit photos drew unwanted commentary. She argued that being confident in her body should not be treated as an invitation for sexualization.

She also pointed toward WNBA veterans such as Skylar Diggins-Smith, Lisa Leslie, and Tina Thompson, wondering whether they would have faced similar scrutiny had social media been as powerful during their playing days.

For Reese, the attention is not entirely negative. She called the current period the WNBA’s “Baddie Era,” celebrating players who are comfortable embracing fashion and femininity alongside their athletic careers.

And on the court, she has plenty to celebrate. In her first season with the Atlanta Dream, Reese has averaged 16.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals across 40 games, while setting the WNBA’s single-season double-double record with her 29th.

Reese has always done things her own way, and that has helped make her one of the WNBA’s biggest names. But Freeman sees Team USA differently. To her, personal brand loyalty takes a back seat when representing the country.

That’s where the debate stands: Reese chose Reebok, while Freeman believes the USA team should come first.