Olympic Gold Medalist Shares Candid Thoughts On Angel Reese Becoming NBA 2K's Next Cover Athlete: 'Iconic'

Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion Sabrina Ionescu recently shared her candid thoughts on two major career milestones for Angel Reese. During an interview, Ionescu, who currently plays for the New York Liberty, celebrated Reese, who not only debuted her signature shoe, the "Angel Reese 1 (AR1)," but also became the next cover athlete for the popular video game, NBA 2K.

Speaking with Myles Ehrlich from Winsidr, Ionescu called Reese's NBA 2K cover, which also featured the Chicago Sky star wearing her signature sneaker, "iconic" before sharing her thoughts about the all-star's collaboration with Reebok.

"I feel like it was like knocking two birds with one stone and just having this amazing moment to kind of showcase to the world a shoe she's been working on for a really long time, and also an elite company with signature shoes," she said.

"It's been amazing to see," Ionescu continued, "more and more women getting signature shoes, and obviously she's well-deserved of that."

Currently, there are several women's basketball players with a signature shoe, including Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, Reese, and, of course, Ionescu.

Additionally, many of the league's prominent athletes have been featured on the cover of NBA 2K's WNBA edition, including Wilson, Ionescu, Diana Taurasi, and, now, Reese.

According to Ionescu, who graced the cover of the popular video game in 2023, becoming a 2K cover athlete carries much "significance" and "importance."

"Like, video games are played worldwide, everyone knows who's on the cover," she said. "Every single year, there's this anticipation, and I'm really happy for [Angel Reese] to be able to see her get her flowers so early on in her career."

She continued, "Just knowing that I was able to be on it and how [much] that moment meant a lot for me and my family, and now being able to see her get it, and also debut her signature shoe on it, is really cool."

According to a previous report from The Blast, Reese opened up about how much becoming a 2K cover athlete, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Carmelo Anthony, means to her.

"I'm so blessed to be honored with these two," the 6'3" power forward said. "I was just super excited…just trying to be the first of many and have many young kids and young women look up to me and know that they can do the same things I'm doing."

Reese continued, reminding her fans that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

"The sky is the limit, even bigger than that, as long as you trust whatever you want and never let anybody put limitations on who you can be and what you can be," Reese said about her growing resume.

In another statement, she also touched on why she wanted to ensure her cover portrait showcased her signature sneaker, the AR1.

"It's about representation and showing young girls they can be confident, bold, and take up space unapologetically," she said. "To be cemented in NBA 2K history is a special honor that reflects not only my journey, but also all the veteran WNBA players who have paved the way before me and the growing impact of the league as a whole."

Reese signed an NIL deal with Reebok when she played college basketball for the LSU Tigers from 2022 to 2024.

In 2024, the company revealed that the Bayou Barbie would release her own signature shoe sometime in 2026, and on July 9, 2025, she debuted the design, which features an all-white, shimmery upper.

According to her social media, the colorway is named "Diamond Dust."

"The most brilliant diamonds take pressure, polish, and time," Reese wrote online. "Reebok is back—and the diamonds are shining brighter than ever."

In 2023, the CEO of Reebok opened up about the company's decision to work with Reese, pointing to her "unique mix of unapologetic swagger and style combined with off-the-charts athleticism."

The CEO added, "Her individuality and personal irreverence are helping transform college sports and inspiring an entire generation. We're thrilled to be working with Angel and look forward to further imprinting our presence on sports culture together."