As Angel Reese said in an Instagram caption: “Yesterday’s price is not today’s price.”
Business appears to be booming for the 20-year-old LSU basketball star, who is selling merchandise on her official website and cashing in from numerous NIL deals with brands including Calvin Klein, Bose and Coach.
The Maryland native shared on Twitter that she woke up to a million followers on both Instagram and TikTok on Tuesday — further cementing her status as a social media influencer.
Reese gained more followers in six hours on Monday than any men’s Final Four player has gained in his entire life, according to Sportico.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore guard and top NIL earner has a reported net worth estimated at around $1 million.
The student-athlete gained almost 500,000 Instagram followers in two days, going from 607,000 to almost 1.1 million, per Canada Sports Betting.
The surge has increased her earning potential by almost $1,200 per sponsored post — making her earning potential $2,974 per sponsored post.
“Y’all love the BAYOU BARBIE soo much!!” Reese wrote on Twitter, encouraging her followers to “shop the merch” on her website — which includes “Bayou Barbie” shirts and sweatshirts and other clothing items highlighting the “double-double queen.”
Reese notched her 34th double-double in LSU’s 102-85 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship game on Sunday, setting the record for most in a single season.
Warning: Graphic language
“AHHH WE JUST HIT A MILLI ON THE GRAM & TIK TOKKK!!” Reese continued.
“I wanna see everybody in BB MERCH! LINK IN BIOOOO.”
Reese was in the process of getting “Bayou Barbie” trademarked, her mother, whose name is also Angel, told The Daily Advertiser in February.
“Everybody in Baton Rouge calls me the Bayou Barbie,” Reese said. “My nails say ‘Bayou Barbie’ on them. So yeah, that’s me. I got a trademark, so … I’m Bayou Barbie.”
Her NIL representative, Jeanine Ogbonnaya — who she has been working with since her days at Maryland — said at the time that the process “should be completed in a few weeks.”
“Obviously she’s playing in Baton Rouge,” Ogbonnaya told On3 in March. “Yeah, she is the most fabulous, amazing woman ever. She loves the color pink. She’s always getting her hair and nails done for games. So that definitely plays a big part into it.”
Ogbonnaya added that Reese is currently evaluating a potential sneaker deal.
Throughout March Madness, LSU fans have hoisted “Bayou Barbie” signs at games — and billboards with Reese’s face on them popped up around Baton Rouge.
Reese has posted ads and brand deals with variety of companies including TurboTax, McDonalds, Xfinity, JanSport, Outback Steakhouse, Raising Canes and Wingstop.
In August, 2022, Reese became an ambassador for Coach, and announced that they were teaming up to release a collection of purses.
Reese reportedly has more NIL brand deals than any other player in college basketball — earning six figures.
“The amount of money I can make in college is way more than the amount I can make in the WNBA,” Reese said on the “Outta Pocket” podcast this month. “So I’m definitely going to be taking that into consideration fo ’sho.”
LSU women’s basketball forward Angel Reese exiting a private jet following the Tigers’ NCAA championship win.Instagram/Angel Reese
“All money isn’t good money,” she said. “It might be a good price at the moment but do you see yourself actually wanting to authentically wear the brand?
“… If I’m not interested in it, it’s just like, why am I putting this fake stuff on my Instagram?”
After she helped the Tigers secure their first national championship in the program’s history, Reese shared a photo of her exiting a private plan with Louis Vuitton bags and a bouquet of flowers.
The 20-year-old All-American transferred to LSU in the offseason following two seasons at Maryland.
LSU forward Angel Reese during a press conference after the Lady Tigers beat Iowa during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game.Getty Images
Reese also shared on Twitter that her LSU teammate, freshman guard Flau’jae Johnson, who is also a rapper, woke up to one million followers on Instagram.
“WOW! we have really inspired sooo many people in these past 9 months together,” Reese wrote. “BLESSEDDDDD & we just getting STARTEDD! proud of you 444444.”
