Instead of Ridiculing Angel Reese, Help Her!
I have to admit, I cringed when I heard what Angel Reese said on her social media page. The Chicago Sky rookie sensation admitted to paying $8,000 a month in rent for her apartment in the South Loop of Chicago. Reese boasted that her WNBA salary, around 73,000 doesn’t cover her rent.
This brought out a wrath of criticism from social media users. Some say it was arrogance from the 22-year-old to boast about living in an 8k a month apartment while many her age are either still living at home with their parents or struggling to make ends meet right out of college. Others said Reese is showing her financial ignorance.
I think it is a combination of the two but most importantly, it is the actions of a 22-year-old who grew up in Baltimore and like many in the Black community, never was really taught financial responsibility. I know I didn’t learn a damn thing about finances until I got married in my 40’s. We should be honest with ourselves and our community; too many Black kids are not taught about how money works. It is a failure of our public education system, shows our parents and grandparents lack of knowledge on the subject and an indictment on our community as a whole. There are no excuses in 2024 because information is everywhere.
Reese is giving $96,000 a year to someone to rent a place when she could be investing that money in herself. Homeowners have more rights than renters. They also have more to show for it in the end. The money she is spending on rent she could have purchased a nice condo somewhere in Chicago with the same views of Lake Michigan and in a trendy area similar to her current South Loop apartment.
That being said, instead of the ridicule Reese is getting, I would love to see a financial expert reach out to Reese and offer their services. Reese has a huge following. What if a financial advisor took her on pro bono as a client and taught her what she should be doing with her money? Could you imagine the impact that would have on other Black youth in America? Reese could then in turn show her knowledge to her followers in perhaps a year or so to see the progress she has made. That is how you make a difference in the community.
We too often see Black male entertainers and pro athletes blowing millions on jewelry, cars, houses they can’t afford long-term, women, bad investments and a bunch of other stuff. By the time they learn their lesson, it is too late. With college NIL deals providing an opportunity for younger athletes to become richer sooner than when they become pro, it is even more important that we incorporate some sort of financial literacy into these college sports programs.
An even scarier thought, is that earlier this year, the state of Florida cleared the way for high school athletes to get NIL deals. Can you imagine a bunch of 16-year-olds rolling around with $700,000 in their bank account and no financial education?
Nadia Rawlinson is a successful businesswoman and one of the owners of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
It is my sincere hope that Nadia Rawlinson, the Co-owner and Operating Chairman of the Chicago Sky, saw or heard what Reese said and has a good enough relationship with her star player that she can pull her aside and say, “hey sis, let me talk with you for a bit.” Rawlinson and her husband are successful business people. Not only do they have financial knowledge themselves, they have connections with others in the financial community who can help Reese and others like her.
If Rawlinson can’t do it, John Rogers Jr. is also one of the Sky’s owners. Rogers is one of the most successful capital venturists in the world. He founded Ariel Capital Investments. I mean the guy is a freaking genius for Christ’s sake. He graduated from Princeton. Rawlinson from Standford. I mean HELLO!
Whatever happens going forward, the ridicule from the Black community about Reese’s financial knowledge needs to stop. Show her we love her by helping her. By doing so, we help ourselves and our community at large.