On the court, Angel Reese has shown she can withstand pressure, but off the court, she has recently been embroiled in a flurry of scandal. After Reese’s NBA 2K26 cover was revealed, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III sparked outrage by reposting a racist joke that depicted her as a monkey.
Through Griffin’s platform, the post—which had previously only been viewed by a select few—was shared with millions of people. He then exacerbated the situation by asserting that he had been informed by insiders that Reese “hated” another WNBA player, Caitlin Clark.
The Sky quickly refuted the allegations and accused Griffin of lying. In response, Griffin’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, said that the person Griffin spoke to was not someone her daughter trusted.
The media has implied that Reese and Clark are still at odds, although both players have made it clear that they have no personal grudges. In the aftermath, two legendary athletes supported Reese. Reese’s longtime fan during her time at LSU, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, took a swipe at Griffin.
He said, “I’m going to punch you in your f-king face,” making it apparent that he would not put up with anyone treating someone he views as family disrespectfully.
Olympic powerlifter and WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry also joined in. He described Griffin’s actions as irresponsible during his appearance on The Morning Kickoff.
