Serena Williams inspired Angel Reese's Vogue spread that heralded her WNBA intentions

Serena Williams' announcement in Voguemagazine in 2022 that she was "evolving away" from tennis and into the next stage of her life was heard around the world. And this week, one of the leading lights of the next generation of female athletes—basketball player Angel Reese—said she was inspired by Williams' method of breaking her career news to announce her own.

The 21-year-old forward, who led Louisiana State University to the NCAA Division I national championship in 2023, announced her intentions to declare for April 15's WNBA draft with a fashion shoot in Anna Wintour's magazine, saying

Williams told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on NBC's "TODAY Show" Thursday that "seeing that was really amazing," as she gushed how much she enjoys being a role model for younger women in many ways.

“It’s super exciting to hear that and just inspire women in general and inspire this whole group of amazing, beautiful athletes that can look beautiful on their field, on the court and on the everything, and still be fierce," Williams continued.

"That’s what I was always about—how I can look beautiful and still be fierce at the same time.”

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was on the show to promote the launch of her new makeup collection, Wyn Beauty, designed for an active clientele, but said she was tuned into all the fanfare surrounding this week's national quarterfinal between Reese's Tigers and all-time NCAA scoring leader Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes. The rematch of last year's title game was watched by a record 12.3 million viewers in a watershed moment for women's sports on the whole.

While complimenting Reese's on- and off-court style, Williams said expressing herself through fashion is also one of the things she misses most about her tennis career. Being away from the game "hasn't been easy," the now-mother of two said.

“I miss the outfits," she said. "I’m like, ‘Oh man. I want to wear these skirts again!’ But yeah, it’s not easy, I’m going to be honest. I’m not going to sit here and [say] ‘Oh, it’s easy.’ No, it’s hard ... But I still train and I still love it, and I still hit around and I still have fun.”

“It was all good when I was pregnant [her second child with husband Alexis Ohanian, Adira River, was born last August], and now that I’m not anymore, I’m like, ‘Oh, I miss it so much!’," she continued.

“I’m doing so many things with different businesses. But tennis obviously was my first love and it will always be my first love and it is something I will always be so passionate about.