Angel Reese and Lauren Betts have a history on the court, but a new Reebok deal is proving that business trumps old rivalries. For Betts, a top draft pick, the endorsement was a career milestone; for Reese, it was a chance to welcome a new member to the family with a simple four-word message.
The incident unfolded after Reebok posted on X, announcing that they are bringing in the No. 4 pick of the draft to their shores. “We would like to welcome Lauren Betts to the Reebok Basketball family,” the post read. Reese retweeted the post on her handle and gave a 4-word shoutout to the latest member of the Reebok family.
“AHHHH! What’s up, CHAMP! 
,” Reese’s caption read.
AHHHH! What’s up CHAMP!
https://t.co/rR2SfW4xGg
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 15, 2026
Reebok has been largely focused on bringing in young WNBA talent under its umbrella. The brand did it with Reese back in 2023, when they signed her just a year before her rookie season, and now the shoe apparel brand is doing the same with Betts, signing her just after she was drafted as a top pick in the WNBA Draft 2026.
The details of the deal still aren’t in the public domain for now. But given Betts’ ceiling and her latest heroics for UCLA, the brand might look to make the deal a long-term one to benefit from Betts’ growing popularity and niche in the community.
Along with Reese, the Reebok spectrum has several other WNBA athletes, including Aneesah Morrow and DiJonai Carrington. But none of them has been as notable as the ChiBarbie, who has already received a signature shoe from the brand. The AR1 was released last year and has done immensely well in the market, while a new colorway named “Unapologetically Angel” hit the market a few weeks back, making Reese one of the most invested athletes of the brand.
Thus, it’s quite fitting that Reese welcomes Betts, a player who could be the next face of the brand, with such a heartwarming message. Additionally, Reese had also dropped a message on Reebok’s Instagram announcement post for Betts. “Another BADDIEEEEE
,” the Atlanta Dream forward wrote.
Notably, this isn’t even the first time that Angel Reese has expressed her love to Betts. Roughly 10 days back, when Betts guided the UCLA Bruins to their first National Championship title, the Atlanta Dream forward had congratulated the former with a brief message. “Congrats, Girly,” Reese’s comment read.
This camaraderie is one of the unique moments in the bond between Lauren Betts and Angel Reese. But their relationship hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Both players got into a tussle back in 2024 during a LSU-UCLA game when Betts’ elbow hit Reese’s face, resulting in a bloody nose while the latter was trying to grab a rebound.
As the years passed, both players left that behind on the court, and now they will suit up under the same Reebok umbrella. But Reese wasn’t the only one to express her wishes to Betts, as the queue also featured some known faces for the UCLA center.
Lauren Betts’ Former UCLA Teammates Wish Her on the Reebok Deal
A major backbone behind Lauren Betts’ stellar collegiate career has been her teammates. The group, featuring 6 players, has navigated a prolonged journey together. Her teammates quickly chimed in to celebrate Betts’ Reebok deal. Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker, also left heartfelt comments on Reebok’s Instagram announcement post about Betts.
“Yesss,” wrote Jaquez. “There she issss,” chimed in Leger-Walker.
From facing consistent failures in March Madness to finally winning it on their last shot at the title, the journey has brought the likes of Betts, Jaquez, and Leger-Walker to a full-circle moment before they move on to their separate pro careers. While Betts will continue her pro career with the Washington Mystics, Jaquez will play for the Chicago Sky.
On the other hand, Charlisse Leger-Walker went in the second round to the Connecticut Sun. With separate teams, it’s quite certain that they will face off against one another at some point or another. But even then, that camaraderie they have built with one another is difficult to fade, and these heartfelt wishes just added weight to that perfectly.
Meanwhile, Lauren Betts has a stacked few weeks ahead of her. The Washington Mystics training camp will tip off on April 19, where she and her UCLA teammate Angela Dugalic (picked 9th in the draft) will have to report.
They will follow it up with the preseason games, where they will face the Minnesota Lynx on April 25 and the Atlanta Dream on May 4, before the official season tipoff on May 8 against Toronto Tempo.
