Angel Reese has come a long way from her days working in fast food.

The WNBA player shared a 2019 throwback with her 4.6 million Instagram followers, offering a glimpse into her humble beginnings working at Smashburger. At the time, she was still in high school, excelling as a standout player for St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, MD. According to USA Basketball, she was even named the Baltimore Sun Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020.

Hustling Off The Court At Smashburger

Amid her athletic greatness, Reese was also hustling off the court. She picked up shifts at Smashburger before heading into practice.

“Humble beginnings. I used to be broke clocking in for work then going to practice,” Reese captioned on her Instagram story. “Smashburger Days IYKTYK. Sometimes I used to literally work from 10 AM to 10 PM.”

NIL Era

Reese’s days at Smashburger would eventually come to an end. During her collegiate years, she played at the University of Maryland and then transitioned to Louisiana State University (LSU). In July 2021, the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy went into effect, providing Reese with a new opportunity to leverage her brand. She ultimately reached a peak valuation of $1.8 million.

Some of her NIL deals in college included Coach, Wingstop, McDonald’s, and Raising Cane’s.

Despite pressure to prolong her collegiate career to further profit from NIL deals, Reese did not feel restricted when deciding between staying in college or going pro. Confident in her status as a brand, she knew opportunities would follow her wherever she went.

“Me, I’ve honestly learned that regardless I’m going to be able to make money, staying or going,” she told Just Women Sports. “Understanding that, my brand has been built where I know that more than being in college is something that I can do. I have a brand outside of here where the deals are going to follow me if I leave or stay.”

Continued Success While In WNBA

In 2024, Reese declared for the draft and was selected by the Chicago Sky as the seventh overall pick. She is signed to a four-year contract valued at $324,383, per Spotrac.

Most of her earnings are coming in through her various partnerships, including General Mills, Amazon, Cover Girl, and a multi-year endorsement deal with Reebok that will lead to her signature shoe in 2026, ESPN notes.

Reese’s estimated net worth is $2 million, but she debunked those numbers, revealing they are “way off” during an interview with Complex’s Speedy Morman.

While her net worth today is unclear, she has made enough to support her family and, as previously mentioned by AFROTECH™, soon retire her mother.

“It’s not just a luxury for me. It’s a luxury for everybody around me. I’m able to soon retire my mom. I can pay my mom’s mortgage, and my family — everybody’s taken care of,” Reese told Morman during ComplexCon.