FIBA AmeriCup 2023: LSU star Angel Reese leads team USA to contend for yet another gold medal shot

Angel Reese of the LSU Tigers has had a phenomenal year. She helped bring the national championship back to Louisiana, alongside being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Off the court, her celebrity has snowballed and translated into more endorsements with prestigious companies.

Some of the brands that she has allied herself with include Dick's Sporting Goods, Bleacher Report, Raising Cane's, Caktus AI, Leaf Trading Cards and Campus Ink.

This has had the effect of increasing her NIL valuation, which now stands at $1.3 million, according to On3.

She was named to the national team for the AmeriCup in what will be her debut for Team USA. She has, however, had a run of bad luck in the various national age group's selections.

She was cut in both the trials for the U16 and U18 teams. She then declined her invitation to the EYBL championship and was a finalist again in the U19 team but had to withdraw to focus on her health.

She highlighted this trail of near misses and failures contrasting them with finally making the team on Twitter.

Angel Reese's debut and Team USA's roster

The AmeriCup women's tournament is held every two years among nations in North and South America and the Caribbean. This year's edition is being held in Leon, Mexico.

Alongside Angel Reese, some of the players named to the squad include Lauren Betts, Rickea Jackson, Raven Johnson, Rayah Marshall, Charisma Osborne, Laila Phelia, Janiah Baker, Abbey Hsu, Chance Grey, Deja Kelly and Jewel Spear.

The team's first opponent will be Venezuela on July 1. They're in the same group as Brazil, Argentina and Cuba. The quarter-finals will be held on July 7, the semi-finals on July 8 and the final on July 9.

With the talented team chosen and the fact that Team USA won the last edition, they're considered big favorites.

The team features an exceptional spread of talent apart from Angel Reese. Charisma Osbourne is a high-volume shooter from UCLA who averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season.

In addition, Laila Phelia from the Michigan Wolverines is an added offensive threat. She averaged 16.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game last season as a sophomore. Finally, Raven Jackson from South Carolina, a memeber of the 2022 national champions, was also included in the team.

Notably, Reese's teammate at LSU, Flau'jae Johnson and Gianna Kneepkens from Utah were cut from the final selection.

If she were to win the AmeriCup as well, it would cap off a trophy-laden season for Angel Reese.