Angel Reese praises A’ja Wilson ahead of first meeting between Sky and Aces (Image credits: Imagn)

WNBA rookie Angel Reese is gearing up for her first meeting with reigning WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson tonight. The game will see Reese and the Sky look to build on a two-game win streak that would move them up in the standings, while Wilson and the Aces look to build on a win streak of their own.

Ahead of the game, Angel Reese spoke to media members about the first meeting between the pair. While it will be nothing but fierce competition on the court, before the game Angel Reese revealed that she’s a big fan of A’ja Wilson’s.

In addition to A’ja Wilson inspiring Reese on the court, she’s also been inspired by the two-time WNBA champ off the court as well. As Reese went on to explain, if it wasn’t for her deal with Reebok, she would wear Wilson’s signature Nike shoes on the court.

While there has been no word as to the specific release date of Wilson’s first signature shoe with Nike, she is currently wearing the Nike Cosmic Unity 3s on-court.

“I love her shoe. I’m so happy for her. I mean, she’s deserved it. A’ja has been somebody that’s inspired me, not just on the court, but off the court, and as a black woman, her story being from South Carolina and everything behind that.

“So I’m super happy for her. I wish if I could wear Nike, I would definitely wear her shoe for sure. But I’m happy for her, everything that she’s doing, and she continues to lead the way in so many different ways.”

Looking at Angel Reese’s shoe game, and her deal with Reebok

While Angel Reese can’t wear Nikes, she has been showing off some incredibly unique Reebok shoes of her own so far throughout this season.

She first debuted a custom Barbie edition of the Reebok Solution early in the season, before then wearing a Joker-themed pair against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. While Reese had previously stated that she could have signed with Nike or Jordan, she wants to bring Reebok back and go against the grain.

On top of that, Angel Reese also explained that Reebok doesn’t currently have any WNBA players signed, making her the first. In addition, she also pointed to her relationship with fellow LSU alumni and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, who is now the head of Reebok basketball, as a reason she decided to sign.

While it’s unclear just how much her deal with Reebok is worth, reports have indicated that it is a multi-year deal. While she isn’t currently set to get her own signature shoe with the brand, that could change in the future given her dominant play in her rookie season.

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