Angel Reese has been having a good time lately. While the noise around her performances was loud at the beginning of the season, Reese has turned it up in the past few weeks. On the court, Reese has dominated for the Chicago Sky as she became the first WNBA player to record six straight 15-rebound games.

Reese has been just as active off the court, releasing her Reebok Angel Reese 1 sneakers. The Sky forward also recently appeared on the cover of NBA 2K26, becoming just the sixth WNBA player to do so.

While fans of the star rebounder celebrated one of Reese’s many victories over the past month, former Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III spoiled the party as he shared a distasteful depiction of Reese.

But this time, NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal is having none of it as he defends his fellow Reebok athlete.

Why Is Shaquille O’Neal Defending Angel Reese So Fiercely?

Griffin III has been making headlines in basketball over the past month for comments made on his podcast “Outta Pocket with RGIII.” The former NFL Rookie of the Year claimed that Reese hates Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, even calling her “jealous” and resentful, and stated his source was from the Sky forward’s “inside circle.”

While Reese‘s swift reply has escalated tensions between the two, O’Neal has now stepped in to end it once and for all. He’s backing the former LSU star.

Appearing on Bailey Jackson’s “Off The Record” podcast, O’Neal threatened Griffin III for posting an NBA 2K26 cover that depicted Reese as a monkey. While Griffin III’s intentions might have been to denounce the racial hate, sharing the image has landed him in deep trouble with the former Laker.

Shaq speaks out on Angel Reese drama with RGIII‼️

Full episode out now: https://t.co/Mo0qYWNvn7#shaq #shaquilleoneal #angelreese #rgiii #wnba pic.twitter.com/f41pdwtZyb

— Bailey Jackson (@baileyjsports) July 15, 2025

“RG3, tweet another monkey post about my girl Angel Reese, I’m gonna punch you in your f—ing face,” O’Neal said. “Okay? It’s enough. Like, I don’t usually do stuff like this, but just stop it, bro. You got your job. You got your podcast. Leave my Angel alone.

“I’m the one calling her and telling her not to respond,” O’Neal said, defending Reese. “F—ing stop it.” O’Neal defended Reese, whom he has said is “like a daughter” to him.

What Does O’Neal Think About the Reese-Clark Rivalry?

O’Neal also addressed the comments made by RGIII on the rivalry between Reese and Clark and sought to set the record straight.

“She’s supposed to hate her. So what?” O’Neal said. “Yeah. I hated the Clippers. I hated the Celtics. That’s not real hate. We look around at what’s going on in this real country – that’s hate.

“This is sports,” O’Neal said. “I’m not supposed to like you. I don’t want you to like no other people’s podcasts. F–k them all. Competition. That’s what the world’s built on. Competition. Like, first of all, let them girls – like, leave them alone.”

Although Griffin III had posted the picture to call out the racism against Reese, stating that “There is no place for racism in this world,” he has received criticism for further sharing a distasteful image.

Hopefully, O’Neal’s words will put the matter to rest so the conversation around Reese can shift from such drama to her strong performances in the buildup to the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, July 19.