Angel, Julian Reese making NIL a family business at Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (BVM) – Maryland’s Julian and Angel Reese are used to being close, with the brother-sister duo taking over both sides of the Terrapins’ basketball scene. Their work on the basketball court, however, has them teaming up off the court, with the two landing name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals this past year.
Thanks to Outback Steakhouse, Angel and Julian will be assisting the well-known chain restaurant, becoming two of 12 college basketball players signed to Outback Steakhouse’s TeamMATES program.
“We’re approaching one of the most exciting times on the sports calendar as college basketball fans prepare for the biggest games in March,” Outback Steakhouse President Brett Patterson said. “The athletes we’ve teamed up with are not only great ambassadors of their sport, but also their teams and communities. This is why we are excited to partner with them as they showcase what it really means to be a TeamMATE.”
The Maryland pair has a lucrative chance within NIL as a rare sibling duo at the collegiate level. Angel, a sophomore on the women’s basketball team, broke out in her second year after missing much of her freshman season with a broken ankle. She currently leads the Terrapins in points and rebounds while averaging more than one steal and one block. Her name has also been mentioned in end-of-season awards after being selected to the Big Ten first team and all-defensive team.
Unlike Angel, Julian has had a much different path to College Park. With his older sister once a top-5 player in her class, the younger Reese would garner attention later in his high school career. After springing to 6-foot-9, Julian would take his play from New Town High School to St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
The transfer allowed Julian to play at the same school his sister once starred at, with the recognition helping push him towards the collegiate level. Julian played in 32 games for the Maryland men’s basketball team in his freshman season.
“Julian was a late bloomer, and his star is just starting to shine more often,” their mother, also named Angel, told umterps.com. “I think it’s great, and Angel embraces it, and I think she loves that. There’s no jealousy at all on either end. And I think that Julian just waited his turn, and he’s not one to be into all of the limelight. I think he just does what he needs to do, and that’s to be successful and keep it moving.”
With Julian’s game blooming on the court, so has his social media, with nearly 8,000 followers on Instagram. For Angel, her recognition on the court has transferred over to the social media space as well. She now has more than 67,000 followers on Instagram and more than 90,000 on TikTok, helping her team up with brands such as Starface, Giant Food, and Cameo. Angel has also become a social media ambassador for TIAA recently, with the company pairing to shine a light on inequalities within retirement for women.
https://twitter.com/Reese10Angel/status/1501242120941809666
With much of the recognition early on for his older sister, Julian is earning respect for his early play, something that has not always happened growing up with a standout sister.
“This is the first time people are saying things like “Hey, you’re JuJu’s sister!’,” Angel said. “I have to laugh and say ‘No, that’s my little brother.’ He is Angel’s brother.”
With NIL taking over the collegiate scene, the opportunities create a great opportunity for not only the Reeses but for athletes across the country. Maryland has backed the early returns, with their sibling combo seeing success off the court.
“My opinion is that student-athletes should be able to be fairly compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness,” University of Maryland Athletic Director Damon Evans said last year. “I believe that is the right direction in which to move.”
The Reese siblings have a bright future ahead of them both on and off the court and with NCAA tournament action approaching, there’s a chance Angel can turn heads on a more national stage. The Maryland women’s team sits at 21-8 and is primed for March Madness action.
