Angel Reese keeps on winning as she was crowned BET Sportswoman of the Year by Black Entertainment Television. The only drawback? She couldn’t be there in person as she is in Mexico training for the FIBA women’s basketball Americup.
The accolade was announced during the BET Awards 2023 Red Carpet Live show, with Jalen Hurts and Angel Reese, respectively, winning this year’s Sportsman and Sportswoman Awards.
“Thank you BET! So sad I couldn’t be there but I really appreciate this! This means a lot!” Reese tweeted about the recognition.
“I’m at USA basketball right now trying to win a gold medal when I could be at the BET awards,” she posted.
Winner’s Circle
Reese has picked up a slew of honors in a short amount of time after defeating Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes to bring the first women’s basketball championship to Louisiana State University. Reese, 21, had a double-double in the victory. During the season, Reese averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds on 52.5 percent shooting from the field.
Basketball Hall of Famer and LSU alumnus Shaquille O’Neal believes Angel Reese is the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU, male or female.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first,” Shaq said on “The BIG Pod” podcast in April.” “Male and female. Ever.”
“See, a lot of us got the package, and we still got the package in our truck. She delivered that package,” O’Neal continued. “It’s a lot of names to throw around, men and women, but she is probably the greatest athlete. Some people are going to exclude it to ‘woman athletes.’ I’m not doing that.”
Unstoppable Angel
Immediately her stock rose on social media, and in the world of name, image and likeness, she became more bankable than ever. Before the championship victory, Reese already had partnerships with Coach, McDonald’s and Sparkling Ice. Her valuation is currently $1.6 million, the top-ranked women’s basketball NIL valuation, according to On3.
Additionally, Reese also ranks No. 5 in the On3 NIL 100, which is the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Reese spent her first two seasons at the University of Maryland before transferring to LSU for the 2022-23 season. Now the LSU women’s basketball star is one of eight players selected to join Team USA for the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, which is set to take place in León, Mexico, from July 1 to 9.
Training camp began on June 22 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team is now is Mexico with the first match in pool play coming against the Venezuelan team on July 1.
Aside from becoming a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and heartthrob to many and more, Angel Reese is cementing herself as the new “it” girl in collegiate sports and beyond.
