Angel Reese says ‘I’d rather be rich than famous’ after rookie WNBA season
Angel Reese opened up about the pressures of being famous and the social media struggles and challenges of being in the spotlight, saying she would trade fame for wealth
Angel Reese has opened up about her views on fame. With over 4 million Instagram followers, the first-year All-Star admitted that she’d gladly trade it all for a life of quiet wealth.
In the second episode of her podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” Reese discussed the pressures of stardom with hip-hop artist Polo G. Both Chicago influencers shared their wisdom about the challenges of being known wherever they go.
“I’d rather be rich than famous,” the Chicago Sky rookie admitted. “Everybody wants to be famous, but they don’t really know what comes with it. It’s fun because of all the connections you make, but sometimes you just want to live a normal life.”
The 22-year-old rookie forward is one of the biggest names in the WNBA and on social media. She spoke about the effort of always being in the spotlight. “We were talking about just being able to walk down the street casually and not always have to take pictures and sign autographs,” Reese said. “Sometimes I just want to live a normal 22-year-old life.”
Reese has continued to make headlines not only for any time double-double abilities on the court but also for her unforgiving personality, which inspired the podcast. She’s the most followed player in the league by social metrics and has helped grow the game with her rookie class with No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark.
Before being selected in the WNBA Draft, LSU coach Kim Mulkey could already see a rise in Reese’s popularity and praised how she handled stepping into the spotlight. The name “Chicago Barbie” has appeared in several songs, and she’s also been featured in music videos by Cardi B and Latto.
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The first polarizing of Reese’s career came during the 2023 NCAA women’s tournament, where her LSU team faced Clark and Iowa. Their competitiveness on the court became closely examined after Reese gave the Hawkeyes star a John Cena “You can’t see me” hand gesture, which was seen as friendly banter by some and unsportsmanlike taunting by others.
The on-court battles and distinct fanbases of Reese and Clark were compared to the 1970s rivalry of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. The WNBA commissioner chose to dodge the topic of toxicity and racism within the league’s fanbases, which led to the players union speaking out against her comments.
