Angel Reese responded to her critics with the unveiling of her Vogue cover. On Wednesday, January 8, the Chicago Sky forward shared on X, “I ‘covered up’ and gave y’all COVERGIRL.” This cover marks a significant milestone as she is the first professional basketball player to have a solo cover with the publication. Gabby Thomas, an Olympic gold medalist, is also set to feature on a solo Vogue cover for the winter issue of 2025.
On the cover, Reese donned a ruched red dress, with her hair styled straight and parted down the middle.
In her accompanying cover story, she discussed her long-standing ambition to merge her passion for basketball with her fascination for fashion, which began in her childhood.
“It’s always been both: basketball and fashion,” Reese stated in the interview. “… I was always in my mom’s closet, putting on her stuff. I liked to carry a purse. Hair done. I wanted to look put together. I still do.”
Angel Reese Goes Viral for New Year’s Eve Cutout Dress
The athlete recently gained attention for her New Year’s Eve ensemble. Reese wore a striking cutout dress on the occasion, but after receiving backlash, she opted to deactivate her Instagram account. Online critics shared their opinions on her outfit.
“D*mn that girl wants so much attention. It’s not funny no more. Is she working on her game to be a better basketball player? That’s the real question,” one social media user commented regarding Reese’s choice of attire.
Another user remarked, “Let me sexualize myself then complain that people are sexualizing me,” referring to remarks made by Shaquille O’Neal about how the WNBA could increase its viewership during an appearance on “Unapologetically Angel.” They noted her discomfort with the idea of wearing booty shorts while playing but criticized her for regularly presenting herself as a sexual figure. “Only dudes that are interested in this type of women are men who just wanna f*ck,” the user added.
Reese, in her post on X, addressed the viral commentary surrounding her selfies. Prior to that, she reposted a message from Grammy-winning artist SZA, reflecting her perspective on the situation.
“YOUR LIFE IS YOURS !!!YOURSSS!!!” SZA proclaimed on X. “Not anybody else’s!! Not the ones disappointed, not the ones talking shit, not the ones that never sent an apology, not the ones snickering or judging, not the ones with a stake in the game. THE COFFIN ONLY HAS ROOM FOR ONE. YOU. Live. F*ck it.”
Criticism of Reese’s outfit extended beyond social media trolls, with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also weighing in on her daring outfit choice.
“What’s not debatable is how Caitlin Clark has handled her brand. With Angel Reese, you sometimes find yourself scratching your head wondering what the hell she’s doing, like that photo right there,” Smith stated on his show this week.
“She’s a beautiful young lady, and there are a lot of beautiful young ladies in the WNBA, but you can’t come down the line and complain about being objectified later on. It’s not going to work with people,” he continued.
“When you do stuff like that and draw attention to yourself, that can be problematic for you, especially when the comparison is going to be drawn to Caitlin Clark, who isn’t doing such things,” he concluded, juxtaposing Reese’s actions with those of the Indiana Fever’s Clark.
Image Source: Angel Reese @ Instagram
