Angel Reese’s Reebok Sneaker Breaks Into NBA Through Wendell Carter Jr.

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Basketball fans spent months tying Angel Reese and Wendell Carter Jr. together, and the Orlando Magic center finally acknowledged their relationship late last month. With everything now out in the open, Carter delivered his most public gesture yet and did it on an NBA floor. His move created a moment that pushed both the sneaker world and the WNBA star deeper into the NBA conversation.

Carter helped the Magic edge the Miami Heat 106 to 105 at the Kia Center in Orlando, but the win did not steal the night, per Essentially Sports. His footwear did. The Magic big man took the court in Reese’s signature model, the Angel Reese 1 in the bold Receipts Ready colorway. The shoe made its official NBA debut with that appearance, and fans reacted immediately because of who wore it and what it represented.

The moment followed Carter’s appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back with Lou Williams, Chandler Parsons and Michelle Beadle. He finally addressed the relationship chatter that surrounded them throughout the year.

“That’s the homie for sure,” Carter said with a grin. “We locked in. Y’all gonna find out when y’all need to find out. We’ll just leave it at that. That’s my girl, though. We locked in for sure.”

Carter’s Gesture Caps Months of Buzz

Carter and Reese created plenty of moments long before Friday night. The conversation first picked up in May when Carter celebrated Reese’s twenty third birthday with her. Later, he showed up at the WNBA All Star Game with a shirt featuring Reese’s photo. That appearance added more fuel to months of speculation.

Reese also supported Carter throughout the Magic season. Instead of spending her offseason overseas or resting, she chose to spend stretches of time in Florida. She grabbed attention with each courtside visit and kept the conversation going.

Carter’s decision to lace up the Angel Reese 1 gave the discussion a new spark. He wore the shoe in the first half, then switched back to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s signature model to close the game. Still, he became the first NBA player to wear her Reebok sneakers during a game. The gesture signaled something more meaningful than a relationship nod. It highlighted the rise of Reese’s signature line, which dominated the WNBA season and pushed into the sneaker industry in the fall.

Paige Bueckers Joins Reese as Spotlight Grows

Reese showed up again today in support of Carter, and this time she brought Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers with her, per Sports Illustrated. The two sat courtside at the New York Knicks matchup with Orlando and created another moment for fans to follow.

Bueckers enjoyed her offseason and collaborated with Reese and Oreo earlier in the week. Their courtside appearance hinted at more content on the way, and both stars used the New York trip to work with major brands before their next basketball commitments.

Reese and Bueckers enter the final stretch of their offseason before traveling to South Florida for the Unrivaled 2026 season. The three on three league returns for its second year, and Bueckers has an opportunity to make her debut after her time at UConn kept her out of the inaugural run. They now have time to enjoy their break together before the competition ramps up again.

Both players hold franchise cornerstone roles for teams that finished near the bottom of the WNBA standings last season. Their off court visibility continues to rise, and Reese’s shoe entering the NBA through Carter only strengthened that momentum.

Burtland Dixon Burtland Dixon is a sports journalist covering the NBA and athlete culture for Heavy.com. A former Division II athlete turned journalist, he offers a unique blend of locker room perspective and storytelling expertise. He has more than eight years of experience in digital media and previously served as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with additional bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser, and Buzznet. Burtland is based between California and New York. Instagram: @showmi_more More about Burtland Dixon

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