LSU's Angel Reese Makes Her SI Swimsuit Issue Debut

Louisiana State University's basketball champion Angel Reese is officially a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. On May 8, SI offered a sneak peek at Reese's spread in the 2023 issue, a few weeks following fellow LSU athlete Olivia Dunne's debut in the magazine.

Reese became an overnight sensation in March when she taunted opposing player Caitlin Clark during their history-making NCAA final, in which LSU took home its first championship. The viral moment ultimately sparked a national debate surrounding Reese's sportsmanship and character, and the double standard against Black women athletes.

In a corresponding interview for Sports Illustrated, Reese, who was named the NCAA's most outstanding player in women's basketball, spoke about the historic final and subsequent backlash to her gesture. "Having so many people come back to me and say, 'You guys have changed the game. You guys have been a part of history,' I embraced that," she said. Reese added that she and Clark "are cool." "The women's side gets penalized for [trash talk] or we're considered as not being ladylike and that we're not playing by the rules," she added. "We work just as hard as the men. Women can be who we are; women can be competitive."

Reese posed in two different swimsuits for the Swimsuit Issue, including a Solo Studio top held together by seashells and matching white bottoms from Miaou, as well a purple crochet bikini from Indonesian clothing brand Indah. "I had on thong bathing suits and I didn't think I was going to be comfortable, but [everyone] made me feel really comfortable," she said of the shoot. "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."

SI's new issue is on stands May 18. For more information, visit swimsuit.si.com.