EXPOSED: Angel Reese’s All-Star Stunt Backfires—Reebok Campaign Under Fire

Angel Reese thought she had victory wrapped up at the 2025 WNBA All‑Star Game. Instead, one bold move turned into a public misstep—and her Reebok campaign became collateral damage.

During the All‑Star Weekend at Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Reese debuted her signature Reebok “Mebounds” sneakers on court—an electric moment capturing attention. Fans cheered her rebound dominance and flashy kicks. From the outside, it was all swagger and perfect timing.

But as the game wore on, the atmosphere shifted. Critics zoomed in on the timing. With her team leading decisively and the spotlight already on Caitlin Clark’s absence, Reese’s theatrics felt unnecessary to some. A segment of viewers argued she was showboating—not at the right moment, but when she wasn’t called upon to carry a sticky situation. Lines blurred between confidence and cockiness.

Within hours, discussion turned from praise to backlash. Social media turned acid:

“Showed up just to model the shoes.”

“Great branding stunt—but never mind the game.”

“Did she really need to try so hard in a blowout?”

Worse: the #AngelReeseEffect campaignangled into corporate messaging backfired. Fans who once celebrated her bold attitude now accused Reebok of overhyping—tying a signature shoe to a player whose shooting percentage was still under scrutiny and whose team had just lost All-Star pageantry dominance to Clark’s fan vote.

Reebok’s high-stakes launch, meant as a reclamation of market share through creative storytelling, crumbled under heat. Critics questioned the campaign’s sincerity—arguing that Reese’s athletic performance hadn’t quite matched the braggadocio of the branding message. Some even worried Reebok misread fan sentiment.

Meanwhile, Angel herself started trending—but not favorably. One X user commented: “Reese 1 sneakers dropping, but can’t drop an open layup.” Another: “They gave her a shoe deal before she earned it.”

Inside the WNBA, leaders watched quietly. Fans noted the irony: while Reebok built a narrative of unapologetic strength, the actual reception exposed accelerated scrutiny and double standards applied to players like Reese—especially in comparison to mainstream-favorite Caitlin Clark.

The response forced Reebok into damage control. They doubled down on Reese’s accolades—her rebounding records, her branding initiative, her signature shoe plans slated for 2026—but the optics were already tarnished.

Reese attempted to reclaim the narrative herself, embracing tropes of transformation: trademarking “Mebounds,” leaning into trolls’ language, and epitomizing self-branding genius. Even harsh critic Dave Portnoy, known for siding with Caitlin Clark earlier this season, admitted on X: “It pains me to say it… her marketing move was brilliant.”

But the damage lingered. Her statement at All-Star—once meant as power play—became a cautionary tale in brand timing. And her Reebok campaign? A microcosm of what can happen when hype—or hubris—meets the wrong moment.