With the release of her first-ever signature sneaker today, Angel Reese and Reebok are dropping a powerful new ad titled Fuel. The spot stars the WNBA sensation herself, who shares a moving message about what this moment truly means to her. The 30-second clip features Reese standing on a subway platform, reciting a powerful monologue as a train rushes by.
“Noise, headlines, hotshots,” she says, as she looks up at a destination sign flashing words like “overrated” and phrases downplaying her on-court ability.
“They talk like they know me, like they built me,” Reese continues, before stepping onto the busy metro. “But I board anyway.”
The Chicago Sky star adds, “They call it the hate train, I call it the warm-up.” The new ad, Fuel, pays homage to Reese’s boldness on and off the court and the resilience that has defined her journey, symbolizing how the LSU alum has navigated criticism throughout her career. “Every comment, every doubt—it all fuels me on the court,” she says. “At the same time, I draw energy from my teammates, my family, and everyone who believes in me. Fuel is about rising above the negativity and turning it into strength.”
Reese herself narrates the advertisement, closing with: “Every stop, more opinions, more pressure, more reasons why I’m not supposed to be here. But I show up. Not for them, for the work. I don’t ride the hate train. I drive it, and I own the tracks. This is the Angel Reese 1 by Reebok,” as the screen flashes her debut bright-pink colorway, Mebounds.
Reese now joins a small but growing group of WNBA stars to land signature sneaker deals. Sabrina Ionescu’sNike Sabrina 1, launched in 2023, became Nike’s top-selling sneaker on the Nike By You customization platform and was hailed by performance reviewers as one of the best basketball shoes on the market. Breanna Stewart’sPuma Stewie line, which began in 2022 and has rolled through multiple iterations since, has leaned heavily on storytelling — tying colorways and design cues to her personal narrative, priced competitively around the $120 mark.
That context matters for Reebok. Reese’s deal puts her in direct comparison with these success stories, both of which show how aligning product design with personal storylines and giving consumers ways to personalize or connect with the athlete can drive performance. With Fuel framing Reese’s shoe as a statement against doubt and negativity, Reebok is betting it can capture the same mix of authenticity, cultural relevance, and commercial momentum that has pushed Ionescu and Stewart’s sneakers to the front of the WNBA footwear conversation.
