Angel Reese is headed to the WNBA. In an interview with Vogue that accompanied a photo spread sharing the news, the 2023 NCAA champion said she was inspired by Serena Williams retiring in a similar fashion in 2022. In the feature, Reese confirmed she decided to turn pro before the start of March Madness. “Of course, I like to do everything big,” Reese told Vogue. “I didn’t want anything to be basic.” During her time as an LSU Tiger, Reese averaged 20.9 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while recording 61 double-doubles in 69 games, second in school history only to WNBA great Sylvia Fowles. She also boasts endorsement deals with Reebok, Beats by Dre, Mielle Organics, Coach, and more. Reese’s season came to an end on Saturday after an epic match up with Caitlin Clark and Iowa, which drew the biggest audience in NCAA women’s basketball history. The WNBA Draft takes place on April 15.

Ahead of his return to the NBA after two months away nursing a left meniscus injury, Joel Embiid has a new shoe sponsor. As reported by Boardroom’s Nick DePaula, the 76ers star has inked a multiyear endorsement deal with Skechers that makes him the “face of the company’s basketball division.” Embiid joins New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann as Skechers partners. Embiid had previously been signed to Under Armour where he had a signature sneaker, the UA Embiid One, which dropped in 2020. His deal with the Baltimore brand expired in Oct. 2023.

Amid reports that Spotify plans to increase subscription prices once again, Bloomberg reported that the streaming giant’s shares jumped as much as 8.2% on Wednesday. People familiar with the matter shared that Spotify plans to hike prices by about $1 to $2 a month in five primary markets by the end of April, including the UK, Australia, and Pakistan. The Swedish company is expected to raise prices for US customers later this year. Spotify also plans to unveil a new $11 per month basic tier that offers music and podcasts but not audiobooks.

The men’s and women’s Final Four are set. This weekend, all eyes will be on Cleveland and Phoenix to see who will cut down the nets as this year’s national champions. As part of the action, keen observers will notice that Bose has stepped up to continue its support of student-athletes across the country as part of its growing NIL initiatives. Last month, the brand debuted its newest partnership with UConn’s Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers. On the men’s side, the company also tapped NBA-bound Donovan Clingan. Together, the athletes gifted the coveted product to their whole team. Additionally, the brand has distributed products to the University of South Carolina, as the Gamecocks look to keep their perfect season alive.

Authentic Brands Group has agreed to purchase athletic apparel label Champion from HanesBrands Inc. in a deal valued at more than $1 billion. According to WWD, a source added the transaction will be finalized “around the end of May or early June.” Last year, HanesBrands’ total profits totaled $5.6 billion, a 9.58% slump as compared to 2022. Fourth-quarter revenue totaled over $1.3 billion in 2023, down nearly 12% year-over-year. WWD adds that HanesBrands hit its best return in 2021 and 2018 when sales reached $6.8 billion.

Big Sean shared via social media his plans to drop his debut book later this year. Scheduled to release on Oct. 8, Go Higher is now available for pre-order and focuses on mental health. “But anyone who has known me since I signed my record deal knows if you look at my old YouTubes, I’ve always been about speaking from the heart, following your intuition, and checking in with yourself mentally. Because that’s how I was raised.” In the announcement, the Detroit native credited fellow authors like Deepak Chopra, Sadhguru, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and bell hooks for inspiring his own creativity. “I took all the lessons I learned, all the philosophies mixed with real-life experiences, and condensed what works for me into these five strategies that really will teach you what success mean to you and show you what your purpose is if you don’t already know,” he added.