Have you ever watched a show so good it made you rethink your whole career? That’s exactly where Angel Reese seems to be. She’s currently out with a back injury and hasn’t played since July 29, when she dropped 22 points and 13 rebounds in a frustrating loss to the Mystics. But as she recovers, Reese’s focus seems to be shifting—less basketball, more big-picture dreams. She’s leaning into her pop culture power, and honestly, she’s starting to look like a future icon in the making.

Lately, it feels like every injured WNBA star is deep into their binge-watch era (shoutout Caitlin Clark and her Happy Gilmore 2 mood). Angel Reese? She’s no exception. She hopped on X to give her raw review of Netflix’s The Hunting Wives—and didn’t hold back. “Nglllll The Hunting Wives is a CRAZYYYY but good watch😭,” she posted, clearly locked in. But then came the plot twist: that finale didn’t sit right with her. “Sooooo will there be a season 2 or more episodes for The Hunting Wives because I’m not satisfied with how that ended…😒”

Turns out, her tweet reached the show’s creator, Rebecca Cutter, who was more than thrilled. “I am DEAD on the floor!!! thank you for watching our lil ol show!!!” she responded, clearly loving the WNBA star’s support. But Angel wasn’t just watching—she’s lowkey ready to jump into the script herself. In the most casual, very Angel way possible, she put herself in the running for a role: “Just let me know if you need me for season 2.” And this wouldn’t be the first time she’s shown interest in acting.

Last year, while binging Power Book II: Ghost, she hopped on Instagram and told everyone, “I need to get into my acting career ASAPPPPP.” And honestly, she wasn’t just saying it. Reese, who was already one of the highest NIL earners in college basketball during her LSU days, was slowly building her on-screen presence, not just in ads, but in full-blown music videos and commercials.

She popped up in NLE Choppa’s “Champions” and made a quick appearance in Latto and Cardi B’s “Put It On Da Floor Again.” But one of the most acting-heavy gigs she’s done? That would be the STARRY short film 3>2: A STARRY Story. The fun commercial aired during the 2023 NBA Finals and even featured Karl-Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson.

But for Reese, acting isn’t just a side hustle—it’s a dream. “I want to be an actor—I would like to get into film,” she told REVOLT in 2023. “Modeling is also something I’m passionate about outside of basketball. My major is communication, so I’ll always want to be in front of the screen.” She even shouted out her favorite: “I love me some Taraji P. Henson and would like to work with her. I love her, that’s my girl.” In 2024, she took a step toward Hollywood, featuring in the promo for Wicked. 

While she’s building her foundation in pop culture and entertainment, the noise around her game is only getting louder. And not all of it is love.

The hate is loud—but Angel Reese’s numbers are louder

It’s wild how quickly the narrative around Angel Reese has shifted. Just months ago, she was making history—recording 17 double-doubles this season, averaging 14.2 points and 12.6 rebounds, even dropping a 22 and 13 game while clearly battling back pain. And yet? She’s now caught in a storm of criticism. The Sky are 8-21, basically out of playoff contention, and Angel’s absence due to a nagging back injury has only made things worse.

“It was ugly, ugly for me,” she admitted about her last game. “But I tried to push through as much as I could for my teammates because I know they need me out there.” Still, instead of focusing on her impact, the spotlight’s shifted to online trolling, memes, and the never-ending comparisons.

The negativity hit another level when a fake quote went viral on X: “Y’all make $1400 a week, I make $1400 in seven days.” Ten million views later, Reese was once again being painted as arrogant—even though there’s zero proof she ever said it. But facts don’t lie. Reese was the first basketball player Reebok signed during its relaunch, debuted her own signature shoe (Angel Reese 1), appeared on the cover of NBA 2K26, and as of January 2025, boasts a net worth of $1.5 million.

“Brands are going to come, if you like it or not,” she said. “The hate, the love — it pays, regardless.” Meanwhile, the Sky are 1-6 without her this season. And despite everything—the injury setbacks, the viral hate, and being framed as the anti-hero to Clark’s media darling—Reese has stayed real.

“I don’t fit in the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto… this is for the girls that look like me,” she said after the 2023 NCAA title. That same fire led her to secure $1.7 million in NIL deals before she even went pro, including partnerships with McDonald’s, Amazon, Calvin Klein, and PlayStation. But that truth-telling, boldness, and pride? It makes her an easy target. Still, Angel’s not backing down. “You can’t knock me off my pedestal.”