It's safe to say that Angel Reese has been embraced by LSU since arriving in Baton Rouge, La., and with good reason.
En route to the Tigers' national championship game appearance, Reese has taken a leap toward becoming one of college basketball's biggest stars. At Maryland last season, she averaged 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. This year, those averages have leapt up to 23.3 points and 15.6 rebounds.
And she's kept that performance going strong in March Madness. She has recorded a double-double in every game while averaging 22.6 points and 16.2 rebounds in LSU's five wins.
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A good sign that her performance has fully endeared her to the community is that she already has a sobriquet of her own. In Reese's first season at LSU, she has picked up the thematic nickname "Bayou Barbie."
How did Reese get this nickname? Here's what you need to know about her moniker.
Angel Reese nickname
As Reese has made a name for herself in Baton Rouge, she has gained more attention from the locals. And that has prompted them to give her a unique nickname.
On3 reported she earned the nickname "Bayou Barbie" because of her playing style, her eyelash extensions and her long pink nails.
"Obviously she's playing in Baton Rouge," Reese's NIL representative Jeanine Ogbonnaya told On3. "Yeah, she is the most fabulous, amazing woman ever. She loves the color pink. She's always getting her hair and nails done for games. So that definitely plays a big part into it."
The Daily Advertiser reported in February that Reese had been referred to as Bayou Barbie during TV broadcasts and interviews, and that as the season went on, fans in the stands began to display signs that read "Bayou Barbie."
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"Everybody in Baton Rouge calls me the Bayou Barbie," Reese said, according to The Daily Advertiser. "My nails say 'Bayou Barbie' on them. So, yeah, that's me. I got a trademark so . . . I'm Bayou Barbie."
'Bayou Barbie' trademark
Reese is, in fact, trying to make the nickname official. The Daily Advertiser reported she has filed a trademark application for "Bayou Barbie," which Ogbonnaya said would allow Reese to put it on merchandise.
On3 reported the application was filed in February with the hope that there will be a response by 2024. Darren Heitner, the IP attorney who filed the request, said the requests can take about 12 months.
There have been questions as to whether Reese's trademark request will be successful given that "Barbie" is already trademarked by toy company Mattel, but Heitner said everything has remained on track to date.
"Whenever a person or company seeks to develop a brand, it is important to go through the trademark registration process, as the receipt of a registration brings with it various benefits including but not limited to a legal presumption of ownership of the trademark and the right to bring a lawsuit in federal court concern the trademark's use by others," Heitner told On3.
Reese has already begun the process of selling merchandise with Bayou Barbie on it, including T-shirts and sweatshirts.
Bayou Barbie merch out now💖 Make sure to tag me in your BB merch so I can repost! Grab your merch at the LINK IN MY BIO, can’t wait to see y’all in it! Hoodies, Shirts, Hats Sweatpants etc. 👑 pic.twitter.com/GMBu3tuNnf
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) February 14, 2023
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Angel Reese NIL deals
Reese has been a true star both on the court and in the NIL realm. According to Front Office Sports, only four collegiate athletes have more NIL deals than her 17 total. None of them play college basketball.
Front Office Sports reported that she has an estimated earning potential of $392,000, which is sixth among Division I women's basketball [layers, and the style that comes with the nickname Bayou Barbie has helped her earn deals with companies like Coach. On3 reported she is one of only a small few collegiate athletes partnered with Coach.
"This is all her, and like I said, she gets this," Ogbonnaya told On3. "She's a social media wizard. I often say she's not just an athlete, she is a true influencer. This was all her, you know. She came up with the whole thing herself and came to me, and she wanted to trademark it."
On Sunday, she'll play in the national championship game against Iowa. Needless to say, winning a title in her junior year would go a long way toward further building the brand of Bayou Barbie.