Swimsuit

4 Bright and Beautiful Bikinis From Angel Reese’s Photoshoot in Los Angeles

The NCAA athlete was featured in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue.

Cara O’Bleness

Angel Reese

Angel Reese was photographed by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles.

When Angel Reese posed for the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue in Los Angeles with photographer Yu Tsai, she was on top of the world. The NCAA athlete had recently helped LSU reach the women’s basketball national championship title (the school’s first in its history), and Reese was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

The 21-year-old, known as the Bayou Barbie, is listed within the top 10 of On3’s NIL Rankings, and has secured partnerships with the likes of Caktus AI, Airbnb and Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge.

While the athlete is often spotted on the court in her team’s purple-and-white LSU jersey, she traded her athleisure for swimwear during her SI Swimsuit debut.

“I had on thong bathing suits and I didn’t think I was going to be comfortable, but [everyone] made me feel really comfortable,” she said while on location in Southern California. “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.”

Reese aspires to play for the WNBA, but just started her senior year at LSU, where she’ll soon begin the 2023-24 basketball season.

“My goal is to play in the WNBA, but I also have aspirations to be a model, just being able to tap into both sides,” she recently told Harper’s Bazaar. “A lot of people don’t see women’s basketball players being able to do both. I want to push that new narrative of being able to be cute off court but when you get on the court, just being able to ball.”

Below are a few of our favorite photos from her SI Swimsuit feature.

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Angel Reese was photographed by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles. Swimsuit by Asta Resort. Belly chain by Alizia.

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Angel Reese was photographed by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles. Swimsuit by Leslie Amon.

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Angel Reese was photographed by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles. Swimsuit by Indah. Necklace by Brinker + Eliza.

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Angel Reese was photographed by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles. Swimsuit by Goldie Swimwear.

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Published
Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.