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By Jonathan Landrum Jr.
(AP) – Angel Reese took her game from the court to the catwalk and made history along the way.
The Chicago Sky forward became the first professional athlete to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Wednesday, joining the brand’s high-profile “Wings Reveal” lineup in New York.
“It was destined for me,” Reese said during an interview before the show began. “This is already for me. I’m so happy to be sitting in this room with so many amazing models and women. The team that put this all together has been amazing. I’m so excited.”
Reese said she hired a modeling coach to “perfect my walk.”
“I walk, sleep, hoop,” she said. “And I hoop, sleep, walk.”
Reese, 23, made her debut on the Victoria Secret runway wearing pink floral lingerie set adorned with blossoms and lace detailing, paired with a dramatic feathered stole draped across her arms. The wrap was covered in soft pink and rose-toned textures.
The 6-foot-3 Reese donned the signature angel white wings that have defined the show for decades, a new stage for an athlete known for her confidence, charisma and crossover appeal. She walked to the tune of Lumidee’s “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh.)”
Reese is a former Louisiana State University national champion and NCAA tournament most outstanding player in 2023.
“One of her biggest dreams was to walk this show,” said celebrity stylist Law Roach, a co-host on the pink carpet who helped reinvent Zendaya, turned Celine Dion into a fashion icon and is a close friend to Reese.
“We had a conversation. I told her, ‘I don’t think that’s a big dream at all.’” Roach said. “And for that to happen in a year or less, that she’s walking the show and, I mean, she looks stunning, like the hair, the makeup, her presence, she’s ready, she’s excited. That makes me the most proud because she’s the one out of most of the girls I have, you know, the kind of deepest connection with.”
The show was livestreamed on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Prime Video in the U.S. The show is a mix of music and celebrities, with Madison Beer sporting pink wings performing “Make You Mine” with lingerie-clad models strutting on the catwalk.
K-pop group TWICE hit the runway too, performing “This is For” and “Strategy.” Karol G sang “Ivonny Bonita” before she walked solo in red wings and lingerie ensemble.
Reese has become one of the most visible figures in women’s sports. Her style, outspokenness and social media influence have helped bridge the gap between sports, fashion and pop culture.
The lingerie show began in 2001 and took place annually for nearly two decades. Victoria’s Secret canceled the show in 2019, but brought it back last year, with Reese attending.
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Associated Press writer John Carucci in New York contributed.
