While A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and Napheesa Collier are setting new standards with their play on the court, there’s one star who’s rewritten the rules off it — Angel Reese. The Bayou Barbie has turned herself into more than just a basketball player; she’s a brand and a headline magnet. From fashion runways to endorsement deals, she’s built an empire that extends far beyond the hardwood. And now, after announcing that she’ll be walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Oct. 15, one former WNBA player couldn’t help but give her flowers.

“It’s everything. She’s setting a bar high for all women’s basketball players who used to say, ‘We weren’t marketable. We weren’t pretty. We couldn’t do this.’ We heard it all. She is setting a bar and raising it for future girls to do the same thing. Angel, keep going. Do not stop. Keep it going,” said the number 1 pick of the 2009 draft, Angel McCoughtry, on the Good Follow podcast, and honestly, she couldn’t be more right.

The podcast’s co-host, Ros Gold-Onwude, then proceeds to put Reese on an even higher pedestal. “There’s no WNBA player that has transcended the game like Angel Reese, and is impacting culture, and is like just known in such a diversity of ways like Angel Reese. There’s not one right now. And even if I think about over the course of the WNBA, the only person I could think of… Lisa Leslie… I think she’s really like talking to like kids who may not even recognize her as a hooper,” Gold-Onwude stated.

Ever since Reese made her debut with the Sky last year, she has been making big moves off the court

• She became the first female athlete to have her own McDonald’s meal.
• She became the first female athlete to be featured as a cover athlete on Reese’s Puffs cereal.
• She became the first professional basketball player, male or female, to land a solo cover on American Vogue.
• She became the first WNBA player to join the Met Gala committee.
• She became the fastest WNBA player in two decades to receive a signature shoe.
• She became the second WNBA athlete to appear on the NBA 2K Global Edition, following A’ja Wilson.
• She also serves as a global ambassador and creative collaborator for Juicy Couture.
• She joined the ownership group of Togethxr, a media content and commerce company co-founded by Alex Morgan and Sue Bird.
• She made her feature film debut in the Netflix thriller A House of Dynamite.
• And lastly, she will become the first professional athlete ever to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway.

In just two seasons in the league, Angel Reese has racked up an astonishing number of off-court milestones. And who could forget this “mebounds” drama? She turned it into gold by trademarking the phrase and launching a full merchandise line. The collection features T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and slides, priced between $28 and $75, available in both youth and adult sizes. And that’s not all! Part of the proceeds even go to her charity, supporting initiatives to fight cyberbullying.

Of course, Caitlin Clark has an enormous fanbase, and her impact on the league is undeniable. But when it comes to off-court branding, Angel Reese is in a league of her own, as Ros Gold-Onwude further points out in the podcast: “I think Gen-Z, outside people, audiences, brands, see Angel and they see somebody who’s obviously like a hooper, obviously super beautiful. But like, you want more than that. She’s bringing to the table that she’s a hard worker, multi-faceted, that she’s strong, like you know physically strong. And there’s also this sense of, she’s someone who gets hated on publicly at times. Like it’s an ‘Us against the world’. Her fans love seeing her beat the expectation… And I think at the center of it with Angel, she’s just herself. She’s super authentic.”

She’s built an empire that few could have imagined, and her achievements will serve as a blueprint and inspiration for the next generation of players. That said, Angel might be eyeing a future beyond the Chicago Sky, as rumors continue to swirl about her next move.

Is Angel Reese leaving the Sky?

When Angel Reese spoke candidly to the Chicago Tribune about the Sky’s shortcomings this season, she said, “I’m not settling for the same sh-t we did this year. We have to get good players… if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me.” Her comments certainly hinted that a departure from Chicago could be on the horizon.

Of course, Sky GM has come out and said that he hopes to keep Reese beyond this season and for her part the Bayou Barbie hasn’t explicitly demanded a trade yet but for a player who averaged 17.6 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in her last 17 games per I talk hoops, you can’t help but wonder if changing scenarios can help her achieve the dreams of winning the championship.

Right now, the Dallas Wings are the favorites to get Reese. They could build a trade package around their top 2026 draft pick–which could end up being the #1 overall selection–and they desperately need a star to anchor their frontcourt. Will Paige and Reese end up playing together? Only time will tell, and fans will be watching closely.