In the basketball world, family extends beyond blood relatives, as the recent WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago showed when Angel Reese connected with a name that carries real weight in the game.

Reese stopped and had a chat with Kaavia James Union Wade, the daughter of Dwyane Wade, after the All-Star game held at the United Center, and asked her how she was faring and gave her a "Barbie Signature Role Models Angel Reese Doll." Wade responded to the WNBA's video of the exchange with a short but pointed message.

"Role Models are important," Wade wrote on the WNBA's social media post commemorating the moment.

The above statement becomes more valid because ‌Angel Reese is the first-ever professional basketball player to be honoured with a Barbie doll in May, complete with the Bayou Barbie necklace and Reebok shoes.

Wade's bond with Reese did not start with this encounter. He has openly backed her ever since her time with the Chicago Sky, which is a franchise that Wade partly owns.

Following their previous encounter, Wade took the time to thank Reese on social media after their run-in near the Sky’s tunnel.

"Being a model for all of our daughters," Wade said.

Chicago picked Reese in the 2024 WNBA Draft as the seventh overall pick after her tenure with LSU. She became one of the league's best-known players in a very short span of time until she was traded to the Atlanta Dream during the off-season.

Wade praised her performance, calling her a star, even though he is no longer with the Sky.

However, Reese's great weekend did not go unnoticed by just the Wade family alone.

Wendell Carter Jr. Reacts to Angel Reese's Barbie Look

Reese dressed in the Barbie theme at the All-Star Weekend, which immediately caught the attention of her boyfriend, Wendell Carter Jr. His response was brief.

"Proud of you," wrote Carter Jr. as his reply to Reese's social media post.

Reese explained how the Barbie theme had its origins linked to a desire that she has always had.

"I think it's been three years now since the Bayou Barbie came about when I was in Baton Rouge. And I used to put Barbie stuff on merch and stuff, and I wasn't really supposed to. So I told them I really wanted to have a Barbie doll one day, and to have a Barbie is like, you gotta be iconic."

Reese’s fashion influence goes beyond that of one single weekend. At present, she is the face of the Good American line of denim jeans, which is inclusive and targets tall women, and also has an endorsement deal with Coach for luxury leather products.

Comment on what you think of Angel Reese's Barbie moment and Wendell Carter Jr.'s reaction.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta