{"id":27857,"date":"2026-08-04T23:30:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T18:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27857"},"modified":"2026-08-04T23:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T18:30:21","slug":"angel-reese-got-a-barbie-doll-signature-shoe-and-wnba-theme-night-then-played-victim-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27857","title":{"rendered":"Angel Reese got a Barbie doll, signature shoe and WNBA theme night, then played victim again"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Angel Reese just wrapped up an extraordinary 10-day stretch that most young girls in America could only dream about.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">On July 24, Mattel unveiled a Barbie doll made in her likeness. The doll wore a pink jersey featuring Reese\u2019s No. 5, the number she wears with the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577553\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/sports\/wnba\/atlanta-dream\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Atlanta Dream<\/a>, and included details such as her headband, leg sleeve, necklace, pink nails and signature Reebok shoes.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/angel-reese-barbie-signature-doll-wnba-pink-basketball-collectible.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/angel-reese-barbie-signature-doll-wnba-pink-basketball-collectible.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/angel-reese-barbie-signature-doll-wnba-pink-basketball-collectible.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/angel-reese-barbie-signature-doll-wnba-pink-basketball-collectible.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/angel-reese-barbie-signature-doll-wnba-pink-basketball-collectible.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Side-by-side image of WNBA player Angel Reese holding a basketball and her Barbie Signature collectible doll wearing a pink basketball uniform inside its retail packaging.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Angel Reese received her own Mattel Barbie doll in her Atlanta Dream uniform and a matching signature shoe edition, but her comments about representation drew scrutiny.<\/span> <span>(Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">On July 25, she competed in her third consecutive WNBA All-Star Game.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">On Aug. 3, a matching Barbie edition of the Angel Reese 1, her signature sneaker, went on sale.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577554\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/sports\/wnba-commissioner-vows-crack-down-racism-misogyny-dodges-big-questions-all-star-press-conference\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>WNBA COMMISSIONER VOWS TO CRACK DOWN ON &#8216;RACISM, MISOGYNY,&#8217; DODGES BIG QUESTIONS AT ALL-STAR PRESS CONFERENCE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That same night, the Dream held &#8220;Barbie Game Day&#8221; at State Farm Arena, complete with special ticket packages and limited-edition merchandise. Reese\u2019s doll sat beside her during media availability.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">In 10 days, Reese received her own Barbie, a matching version of her signature shoe and an entire WNBA promotional event tied to the collaboration.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Yet even that wasn\u2019t enough to keep Reese from returning to her favorite subject: what the world had denied her.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Honestly, I didn\u2019t have a lot of dolls because I didn\u2019t have dolls that really looked like me much,&#8221; Reese said when asked what dolls she played with growing up.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;That\u2019s why I kind of really wanted to make sure this was super intentional, because now that they have a doll that looks like you, nails and hair, but also you can be a killer on the court as well.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Reese didn\u2019t say Black dolls never existed, but she clearly framed her childhood doll options as a failure of representation.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">So, it&#8217;s worth noting that Mattel introduced Christie, a Black character in Barbie\u2019s world, in 1968. The first doll officially named Black Barbie arrived in 1980, more than two decades before Reese was born. American Girl introduced Addy Walker in 1993.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">And in 1998, Mattel sold officially licensed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/itm\/398159665373?chn=ps&amp;norover=1&amp;mkevt=1&amp;mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&amp;mkcid=2&amp;mkscid=101&amp;itemid=398159665373&amp;targetid=2450249296795&amp;device=c&amp;mktype=pla&amp;googleloc=9003318&amp;poi=&amp;campaignid=23925491642&amp;mkgroupid=197394624237&amp;rlsatarget=pla-2450249296795&amp;abcId=9407526&amp;merchantid=6296724&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23925491642&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh_BQVmDwvTVwJeGkHm2K1cdi&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwm8bTBhDWARIsAC9Hi8nkHP8q9nTf_Aulmf_lMhLWvjmhApRrM5PiYnJwphqD-rFZ0lLJBkIaAp9HEALw_wcB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">African-American NBA Barbie dolls<\/a> wearing authentic team uniforms and packaged with basketballs.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-interview-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-interview-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-interview-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-interview-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-interview-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Angel Reese speaks during a press interview before the game.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>WNBA star Angel Reese sits beside a Barbie doll made in her likeness during media availability ahead of the Atlanta Dream\u2019s &#8220;Barbie Game Day&#8221; at State Farm Arena.<\/span> <span>(Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That was four years before Reese was born, meaning that a Black basketball-playing Barbie existed before Angel Reese did. Somehow, that didn&#8217;t qualify as a doll that &#8220;looked like her&#8221; and could be a &#8220;killer on the court.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Her new doll doesn&#8217;t mark the arrival of representation that had never existed. It marks another lucrative commercial opportunity for one of the most heavily promoted athletes in women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Last month, I wrote about how frequently Reese presents herself as overlooked or unfairly treated, even as attention has helped make her one of the most famous and commercially successful players in women\u2019s basketball.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577556\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/angel-reese-latest-wnba-controversy-shows-how-victimhood-became-central-her-brand\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>ANGEL REESE\u2019S LATEST WNBA CONTROVERSY SHOWS HOW VICTIMHOOD BECAME CENTRAL TO HER BRAND<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Here&#8217;s the truth: Angel Reese is incredibly privileged.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Reese attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, a private school where <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577557\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sfacademy.org\/tuition\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">high school tuition<\/a> is currently $15,000 per year. She was a McDonald&#8217;s All-American and one of the top college recruits in the country.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Angel Reese warms up before a game in Atlanta.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Angel Reese celebrated a Barbie doll, signature Reebok shoe and WNBA theme night, but her comments about representation raise questions about her brand.<\/span> <span>(NBAE via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">She then played basketball at Maryland before <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577558\" href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/sports\/flaujae-johnson-hailey-van-lith-media-angel-reese-criticism-lsu\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">transferring to LSU<\/a> on a full scholarship, earning a free four-year college education and a bachelor&#8217;s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Now, she&#8217;s a professional athlete with major endorsements, millions of social-media followers, a podcast, a signature shoe and a Barbie doll. She <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577559\" href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/culture\/wnba-angel-reese-victorias-secret-show-photos\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">walked in the Victoria\u2019s Secret Fashion Show<\/a> and attended the Met Gala for the third consecutive year in May.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">And the preferential treatment hasn\u2019t been limited to corporate America.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577560\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/wnba-fans-call-out-glaring-double-standard-angel-reese-clueless-response-paige-bueckers-bet\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>WNBA FANS CALL OUT GLARING DOUBLE STANDARD AFTER ANGEL REESE\u2019S CLUELESS RESPONSE TO PAIGE BUECKERS BET<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Dream <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_outkick-sports_article_main-content_article-body_6_1577561\" href=\"https:\/\/www.outkick.com\/sports\/angel-reese-chicago-sky-trade-atlanta-dream-wnba\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">acquired Reese from Chicago in April<\/a> for two first-round picks. The deal came only months after Reese publicly ripped the Sky\u2019s roster, questioned her teammates and warned that she might have to &#8220;move in a different direction&#8221; if the organization didn\u2019t improve.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Chicago suspended her for comments it deemed &#8220;detrimental to the team.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Yet, rather than suffer any real consequence for publicly bashing the organization that drafted her in the first round of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Reese landed with a ready-made contender willing to pay a premium price.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That team then made her the centerpiece of a major marketing campaign, including an entire game-night promotion built around her personal brand.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Most athletes never receive any one of those opportunities, let alone all of them.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Yet, sitting beside a doll made in her image during a night built around celebrating her brand, Reese focused on what the world had failed to give her.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">At this point, victimhood no longer seems like an occasional theme in the Angel Reese story.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It looks like the brand.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Dan Zaksheske is a reporter at OutKick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Angel Reese just wrapped up an extraordinary 10-day stretch that most young girls in America could only dream about. On July 24, Mattel unveiled a Barbie doll made in her likeness. The doll wore a pink jersey featuring Reese\u2019s No. 5, the number she wears with the Atlanta Dream, and included details such as her&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/angel-reese-atlanta-dream-warmup-fox-news_.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27857\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}