Angel Reese Defends Body Autonomy and Bikini Photos
Angel Reese has spent the last few years becoming one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. With that spotlight has come trophies, endorsements, and a massive fan base. It has also brought a wave of criticism every time she posts certain photos online.
She’s not changing for anyone.
The Chicago Sky rookie has long been open about sharing bikini photos and more revealing outfits on social media. To her, it’s simple: she works for her body, she’s proud of it, and she’s not going to apologize because some people choose to sexualize her.
That stance has only hardened as her profile has exploded.
From Baton Rouge to the Beach
Reese’s relationship with fashion and swimwear didn’t begin in the pros. Back in 2023, while she was still the face of the LSU Tigers, she posed for SI Swimsuit for the first time. It was a leap into a different kind of spotlight.
"I had on thong bathing suits and I didn't think I was going to be comfortable, but [everyone] made me feel really comfortable," Reese said at the time. "I work out a lot. I embrace my body and who I am and every mark on my body. I probably feel the sexiest in a bathing suit."
That shoot was more than a one-off. It signaled where Reese was headed: a player who could dominate in the paint and command runways and magazine covers with the same conviction.
She followed that up by working with Victoria's Secret, moving into territory no professional athlete had stepped into before.
Breaking Ground With Victoria’s Secret
Last year, Reese became the first professional athlete ever to star in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. On a stage built for supermodels, a 22-year-old forward walked out as a trailblazer.
"I'm not going to shy away from looking like this, because I work my ass off for this body," she said of the fashion show. "Being sexy is just something that I love and always embrace."
She didn’t stop there. Earlier this year, she became the first WNBA player to headline a Victoria's Secret campaign, locking in another first in a career already full of them.
The message stayed consistent: this is her body, her image, her choice.
‘I’m a Beautiful Woman, I Got a Nice Body’
Reese has never pretended the backlash doesn’t exist. Every bikini photo draws the same predictable chorus from people who insist she’s inviting objectification or distracting from her sport. She addressed that head-on on a recent episode of her Unapologetically Angel podcast.
"I'm a beautiful woman, I got a nice body, and I work hard for it. If I want to post a picture in my bikini, I should be able to without being sexualized," Reese said. "I think once you reach a certain level of stardom, people forget that you're a 22-year-old girl."
That last line cuts to the core of the tension around her. To many, she’s a brand, a symbol, a lightning rod. To herself, she’s also still a young woman carving out space to exist on her own terms.
She knows the criticism won’t vanish. The photos won’t either.
Reese has made her position clear: she’s going to keep embracing her body, her style, and her visibility — and if the world has a problem with that, it’s the world that needs to adjust.
