No stranger to honoring successful athletes or founder and CEO Todd Graves’ Louisiana roots, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers welcomed LSU basketball star Aneesah Morrow for a restaurant shift ahead of the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Ultimately chosen by the Connecticut Sun as the seventh pick, Morrow worked the register, spent time in the kitchen, and connected with fans and media at the Astor Place location in New York City.
The memorable moment took place last Friday, just three days before Morrow officially learned that her years of dedication and hard work – including a statistically impressive collegiate run with over 100 career double-doubles – had resulted in an ascent to professional basketball.
Although Friday marked her first time appearing at Cane’s in this capacity, it was certainly not her first encounter with the brand and its beloved chicken fingers.
“Cane’s was my first meal at LSU, and it was so good,” said Morrow. “I have a lot of experience going to Cane’s after practice with my teammates. My go-to order is the Box Combo, no slaw, extra fries and extra toast.”
Not simply drawn to the food, Morrow shares a spiritual connection to the brand and its ethos. Cane’s and Graves repeatedly demonstrate their passion for giving back to communities, and Morrow cherishes the opportunity to support her Chicago home.
“I always want to go back to Chicago and give back to my community,” declared Morrow. “Being on the South Side of Chicago and seeing the things that I did; I want to be that role model for young children that are growing up in the same community as me, and let them know that it’s possible. That you can accomplish a goal that you might not think [to] even reach for. That’s really my biggest goal, being able to give back to the city.”
The joint emphasis on community is thoroughly unsurprising when one understands how authentic each is. Signaled by its “One Love” mantra, Raising Cane’s famously never strays from what it is – and what it always wants to be for its patrons, employees, and community members.
With each comment she gave the attending press, and each moment she spent talking to those present for her shift, Morrow made it clear that the pressure was not breaking her and that her impending success was not changing her. She is going to be who she is, on and off the court.
The start of a new chapter, Morrow’s preparation for the draft – and her Friday stop at Cane’s – also marked a time to reflect on her legacy with LSU.
“LSU has been a big part of building my brand and being here at Cane’s today is so special,” shared Morrow. “I didn’t want my last game as a Tiger to be my last. Right before I got subbed out, I had to let it sink in. I tried not to be sad and told myself what I’ve done over the past two years has been incredible.”
“That sisterhood [is what I’ll miss most at LSU. I’m going to miss my teammates. I was just calling my teammate Aalyah Del Rosario yesterday, and I just told her ‘I’m going to miss y’all.’ I feel like they challenged me a lot to be a bigger sister, to be a better leader, to lead them to my best ability. I’m really going to miss that!”
That background at LSU, of course, also put her in close contact with fellow basketball powerhouse Angel Reese. Reese, who also previously worked an honorary Cane’s shift, coincidentally entered professional basketball as the #7 pick in 2024. She subsequently broke rebounding records as a rookie, while solidifying herself as one of the most recognizable faces in women’s sports.
“Angel helped me a lot at LSU, especially at boards. It’ll be interesting playing against her and seeing how we’ve changed,” said Morrow. “Being with Angel every day at practice and seeing the media impact and how she handled it, I really learned a lot from her.”
As a prototype for what success lies ahead, she represents a clear source of encouragement for Morrow – and women athletes in general.
