Angel Reese’s unapologetic intensity and no-nonsense vibe on the court have won her tons of fans—but just as many critics. Among those critics was Jason Whitlock, who previously took shots at the Sky rookie. But after a string of standout performances, even Whitlock has backed off and started giving her props.
Still, not everyone’s letting up. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has doubled down on his criticism of Reese, stoking the long-running rivalry narrative between her and Caitlin Clark.
Still, not everyone has eased up. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has continued to go after Reese, throwing more fuel on the fire surrounding her long-running rivalry with Caitlin Clark.
The tension between Clark and Reese stretches back to their college days. Now, two years into their WNBA careers, fans and media can’t seem to mention one without dragging in the other. The comparisons are constant—and the rivalry talk shows no signs of letting up.
Recently, RGIII inserted himself into the spotlight again. He reacted to a racially offensive meme targeting Reese, but in the process, claimed that people close to her had told him she doesn’t like Clark, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Griffin’s remarks didn’t go unchecked. Former NBA player Etan Thomas—who once shared the court with Michael Jordan—called him out, drawing comparisons to Whitlock’s past behavior.
“#RG3 I saw a meme floating around social media of you next to a meme that has been floating around of #JasonWhitlock for some time now and you are better than this,” Thomas wrote. “But this is exactly what you are morphing into.”
Shaq Defends Angel Reese with Blunt Warning
One person who’s never wavered in Ange Reese’s corner is NBA legend and LSU alum Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq has supported her since college and even helped her land a signature shoe deal through Reebok, where he now heads basketball operations.
But after RGIII shared an edited version of the NBA 2K26 WNBA cover—replacing Reese with a monkey—Shaq had enough.
“RG3, tweet another monkey post about my girl Angel Reese and I’m a punch you in your f****** face,” Shaq said on the Off The Record podcast. “Just stop it bro.”
Despite the criticism, RGIII kept posting. While he did speak out against the racism in the meme, he also doubled down on the claim that Reese doesn’t like Clark—further fueling the drama.
With big names weighing in and the Reese-Clark rivalry still front and center in public discourse, it’s clear this story isn’t going away anytime soon.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
