Angel Reese is making more money by staying in college than most players are earning in the WNBA.
In a recent discussion from the I Am Athlete podcast, Reese — the superstar Forward for the 2023 national champion LSU Tigers Women's basketball team — claimed that, because of the money made available to her in college, she isn't eager to enter the WNBA quite yet.
"I'm in NO rush to go to the [WNBA]," Reese explained to Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Ross, two hosts of I Am Athlete. "The money I'm making is more than some of the people that are in the league that might be top players."
Although Reese didn't say exactly how much she has made when asked by Marshall, it has been reported by USA Today that she has earned an estimated $1.7 million in NIL endorsement deals; including the massive deal she recently signed with Reebok, on behalf og Shaq, in addition to collaborations with PlayStation, Raising Cane's, McDonald's, Coach, Wingstop, Outback Steakhouse, and Amazon. Reese was also featured in Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Issue — all of which has made Reese one of the top-earning college athletes.
Because of her financial success at LSU, Reese isn't keen to leave college anytime soon. In a recent post on X, Reese alluded to potentially playing with Sarah Strong, Joyce Edwards, and Jaloni Cambridge — three high-caliber LSU women's basketball recruits who'll be freshmen in 2025 — during her final year of NCAA eligibility.
playing with @thesarahstrong @JoyceEdwards24 and @JaloniCambridge my last year would be crazy right? ?? @iGREDUS
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) October 30, 2023
If Reese decided to stay at LSU until 2025, as her post suggests, she would be forgoing the 2024 WNBA Draft — and the chance for a professional basketball salary.
While nearly every other college basketball player wouldn't dare leave professional basketball — and the guaranteed money that comes with it — on the table for another year of college, Reese isn't like every other college basketball player.
Reese's post could have also been a clever way to remind WNBA franchises that she holds all the cards. In other words, Reese doesn't need their money; so if they aren't prepared to draft her with a top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, as one recent mock draft suggested, the "Bayou Barbie" is content to profit off her LSU glory for another season — and perhaps add another national championship to her resumé.
Regardless of what Reese decides to do in 2024 and beyond, the chips on her table will continue to increase.
