The way Angel Reese enjoys luxury is, well, something else. From her fashion choices to unapologetic confidence, she’s become the poster child. Back in her college days, she was a standout among college athletes, cashing in on their name, image, and likeness. And it wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t transferred to LSU from Maryland. But do you know? Reese almost didn’t end up at LSU. So, what made her change her mind?

Reese’s longtime manager, Jeanine, recalls how the transfer to LSU wasn’t initially a no-brainer for the star forward. “So, you transferred to LSU, and you know what? The deals started getting, like, way more interesting at that point,” Jeanine explained. Reese chimed in, “Do you remember when I sat down and talked to them about the NIL part? Honestly, LSU wasn’t even my option. I was scared to commit.  I was going to go to South Carolina or Tennessee, I think.”

LSU star Angel Reese's NIL valuation rises yet again - Yahoo Sports

But then, fate stepped in. “Kim called,” Reese shared, referring to LSU’s head coach Kim Mulkey. “I was like, okay, bet—I’ll just go. But I can’t even imagine what my life would look like if I hadn’t made that decision.” And, well, the rest is history.

Jeanine described the decision as nothing short of destiny. “Like if he would have gone out anywhere else, it was really The perfect Storm, and it was just Destiny; it was fate, it was God; it was all the things you believe in like you could never have dreamed it, but yeah, so you transferred LSU, and the deals start getting bigger they were bigger, bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger,” she said on Angel’s podcast Unapologetically Angel. 

By the time the 2023 NCAA Tournament rolled around, her NIL value jumped from $371,000 to $1.3 million in just a month, eventually hitting $1.8 million. It basically came after she went viral for her trash-talking and bold gestures toward Caitlin Clark, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ star. The media was quick to brand her a “villain,” but in a way, it worked for Chi-Town Barbie. And now she doesn’t shy away from flaunting it.

‘WNBA doesn’t pay my bills’

Fast forward to her professional career, and the 22-year-old isn’t afraid to call it like it is. “I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all,” she said during an Instagram Live. “I wouldn’t even be able to get a sandwich if I wanted to.” The Hooper’s annual WNBA salary sits at $73,439.

This is barely enough to cover her $8,000 monthly rent. But thanks to her NIL deals, she’s doing just fine. Her endorsements read like a who’s who of top brands Beats by Dre, Reebok, Tampax, Amazon, PlayStation, Bose, Raising Cane’s, and more. Last year, she signed a multi-year deal with Reebok to launch her “Angel’s Picks” collection.

Together, these partnerships rake in an estimated $1.8 million annually, far outpacing her basketball salary. Now, Reese is set to earn even more as she participated in the newly announced Unrivaled league. The Napheesa Collier led league premises to offer better opportunities and pay.

But looking back, it’s clear that LSU alumna’s decision to transfer to LSU was a turning point. Her success can be traced back to that moment when Coach Mulkey made the call. So, all in all, it’s safe to say none of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for Mulkey, fate, and Reese’s leap of faith.