The former LSU star will be selected with one of the top picks on Monday night
Fairly or unfairly, for better or for worse, the public perception of Angel Reese is that she is a bit of a troublemaker.
Ever since she exploded onto the national scene in 2023 by leading the LSU Tigers to a surprise national championship, Reese has become controversial for her attitude and her off-court exploits, and many fans felt a sort of vindication when LSU fell to Caitlin Clark‘s Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight of this season’s NCAA Tournament.
But the public persona that Reese has — at times grudgingly — embraced represents only a small sliver of who the power forward is as a person.
As she proved by returning to “work” at a popular fried chicken chain, Reese is a woman of the people — and she could prove immensely popular when she takes the floor in the WNBA later this year.
Angel Reese’s lip-reading moment captured on camera
Reese “reunites” with Raising Cane’s
Reese recently served up smiles, selfies, and chicken fingers on her New York City adventure when she took orders at a local Raising Cane’s restaurant.
Motivated by a desire to “pay it forward,” Reese said that her goal was to help young women realize that they can be a star just like her — after they chow down on some chicken, of course.
“Being able to come to places like Cane’s, giving young girls the look that they can do these things, I want them to have a face and understand they can have these same opportunities that I have,” Reese explained in a minute-long video posted to social media.
Had the best time serving up Box Combeauxs with @raisingcanes 🏀
Thank you for cheering me on before the Draft! #CaniacAmbassador pic.twitter.com/5245cCjoqX— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 14, 2024
Reese has previously worked a lunch shift at Raising Cane’s, which is headquarted in Baton Rouge — the same city that houses Louisiana State University.
She credited Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves for this initiative, making her visible to more of the public and continuing to capitalize on this moment for women’s basketball.
“Todd Graves has been amazing,” Reese said. “He loves women’s sports, he comes out and sits courtside at (LSU) games and supports us. I want to be a great player, but I always want to leave my impact, and I think I’ve done that.”
LSU's Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson, Alexis Morris and Kim Mulkey spent Wednesday’s lunch working at Raising Cane's.
Cane’s has also done NIL deals with Stetson Bennett and Kansas players following national title runs.
More from @Pete_Nakos96: https://t.co/z3vZsFOkDo pic.twitter.com/ZudH8k470a
— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) April 5, 2023
Reese signs off by saying she will see viewers at the draft on Monday night, where she will discover her WNBA destination inside the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
