Photo: Yu Tsai
The “Bayou Barbie” is getting herSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issuedebut!
The magazineannouncedMonday that Louisiana State University basketball star Angel Reese will be featured as a model in their upcomingSISwimsuit edition.
The annual swimsuit issue, on stands May 18, has often included professional athletes in addition to models.
The timing couldn’t be better. Reese, 21, is fresh off helping the Louisiana State Tigers win its first NCAA women’s basketball championship last month and was named the “Most Outstanding Player” of the Final Four. Off the court, Reese is one of the top-earning college athletes with $1.3 million in endorsement deals for brands like Coach, McDonald’s and Amazon.
Angel Reese.Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty
But it’s not just Reese’s play that’s raised her profile recently.
The 6-foot-3 Baltimore native also found herself at the center of controversy during the final week of the tournament, aftershe and Iowa’s star guard Caitlin Clark’s tauntingtowards one another raised a debate among fans about sportsmanship. She alsoinitially declined an invitationfrom President Joe Biden for a traditional visit to The White House after First Lady Jill Biden floated the idea of inviting Iowa, the losing team, for a visit as well.
Angel Reese.Maddie Meyer/Getty
During an interview last week onThe Jennifer Hudson Show, Reesesaidthe drama surrounding her and Clark was “frustrating,” especially given that the two are “cool” with each other.
Tha magazine said Reese recently traveled to Los Angeles to pose for a photoshoot with photographer Yu Tsai, who has captured portraits of celebrities likeLeonardo Dicaprio,Nicole Kidman,Angelina Jolieand more.
Reese toldSIshe was nervous about the photoshoot at first, but soon felt at ease.
“I had on thong bathing suits and I didn’t think I was going to be comfortable, but [everyone] made me feel really comfortable,” Reese said. “I work out a lot. I embrace my body and who I am and every mark on my body. I probably feel the sexiest in a bathing suit.”
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“She is making a name for herself as a fierce competitor and an equally fierce advocate for growing the game of women’s basketball,” Day said. “Her intensity, drive and passion around being unapologetically herself and speaking up for what she believes in is helping move the needle forward for women in sports and is liberating the next generation to feel seen and heard.”
source: people.com
