Angel Reese has her fair share of diehard fans. Whether it's followers from her days in college at LSU, or new devotees tuning in to watch her WNBA rookie season with the Chicago Sky, there are plenty of backers for Reese.
With that said, it's going to be hard to find a more passionate follower than the one who delivered Reese a customized Barbie doll.
Before Saturday's game against the Liberty — an 81-67 loss at home for Chicago — a season ticket holder brought a Reese-inspired Barbie for the rookie. The figure held a basketball, wearing a No. 5 Sky jersey with Reese's name on it.
Angel Reese was gifted her own personalized Chi-Town Barbie doll.😍#WNBA pic.twitter.com/NFh80wPiyo
— Angel And Kamilla👯♀️ (@AngelAndKamilla) July 13, 2024
Apparently a season ticket holder made this Angel Reese Barbie.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) July 13, 2024
Wondering if Mattel is cooking something up 👀 pic.twitter.com/fLP4xOss7g
Reese posted pictures of the doll on her Instagram story, saying she is "obsessed" with the gift.
The inspiration for the idea likely came from the nickname for Reese. The Chicago rookie has a connection to Barbie that dates back to her college days at LSU.
Angel Reese nickname
During her days in Baton Rouge playing for Kim Mulkey and the LSU women's basketball team, Reese garnered the moniker "Bayou Barbie." On3 reported she earned the nickname because of her playing style, eyelash extensions and long pink nails.
"Obviously she's playing in Baton Rouge," Reese's NIL representative Jeanine Ogbonnaya told On3. "Yeah, she is the most fabulous, amazing woman ever. She loves the color pink. She's always getting her hair and nails done for games. So that definitely plays a big part into it."
The Daily Advertiser reported in February that Reese had been referred to as Bayou Barbie during TV broadcasts and interviews. As the NCAA season continued, signs in the crowd could be seen with the words "Bayou Barbie" written on them.
MORE: Angel Reese rocks Barbie shoes in first WNBA game against Caitlin Clark
"Everybody in Baton Rouge calls me the Bayou Barbie," Reese said, according to The Daily Advertiser. "My nails say 'Bayou Barbie' on them. So, yeah, that's me. I got a trademark so . . . I'm Bayou Barbie."
That has changed since her shift to the WNBA. After the 2024 draft in April, Reese posted on X that she plans on dropping the former nickname in hopes of getting a Chicago-inspired one for her new team.
i need a new name now that i’m in chicago lol something cute that is catchy like Bayou Barbie 😭👀
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 17, 2024
While she may not be going by "Bayou Barbie" anymore, it didn't stop the Sky fan from going the Barbie route to give Reese a gift.
