Angel Reese Reveals Story Behind Iconic 'Bayou Barbie' Nickname Amid Vogue Appearance
Chicago Sky superstar Angel Reese became a sports and pop culture icon during her time in college, specifically during her LSU Tigers' 2023 NCAA Championship game win over Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Reese has parlayed that fame into becoming one of the most famous and recognizable athletes in women's sports; especially after her spectacular rookie season where she was considered neck-and-neck with Clark for the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award before Clark pulled away later on in the regular season.
Reese's fame was increased while at LSU due to her having one of the best nicknames in women's sports: "Bayou Barbie".
This hilariously fitting nickname has followed her out of Baton Rouge and to Chicago, where it has now been tweaked to "Chi Barbie".
However, "Bayou Barbie" will always remain the most iconic. And during a January 8 YouTube video from Vogue (which was released in tandem with Reese being on the Vogue magazine cover) where she reveals her nighttime and game day skincare routine, Reese revealed where "Bayou Barbie" stemmed from.
"When I was younger, I used to play with my mom's makeup when I wasn't supposed to," Reese said. "My grandma always used to put mascara on my eyes when I was younger and I used to go on the basketball court.
"That's how I got the name Bayou Barbie. Because I always had my nails, lashes, hair done," Reese added.
So while it sounds like Reese may have laid the foundation for this nickname since childhood, she did say later on in the video that she became the "Bayou Barbie" while at LSU.
Regardless of when it was specifically bestowed upon her, "Bayou Barbie" remains an iconic nickname that will surely continue to follow Reese around.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.