Los Angeles â July 15, 2025 â NBA legend Shaquille OâNeal confronted former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Robert Griffin III (RGIII) with a pointed message: leave Angel Reese aloneâor else. Speaking on the new Off The Record podcast with Bailey Jackson, Shaq protected his LSU comrade with passion and force The Sun.
âRGIII, tweet another monkey post about my girl Angel Reese and Iâm gonna punch you in your fking face⊠Leave my Angel Reese alone. Iâm the one calling her⊠fking stop it. Thatâs the last time. OK?â New York Post+15The Sun+15AllHipHop+15
đŻ What Sparked the Feud?
- The Monkey Meme Reshare
RGIII reposted an edited image casting Angel Reese as a monkeyâostensibly to criticize racismâbut Shaq and others say the resharing only amplified the offensive imagery Men’s Journal+14Talksport+14Black Enterprise+14. - Allegations of âHateâ Toward Caitlin Clark
RGIII later claimed insiders told him Reese hates superstar Caitlin Clark, prompting Reeseâs mother to label the claim false and Reese herself to call it ânastyyyy workâ CBSSports.com+13The Sun+13Awful Announcing+13AllHipHop+5Yardbarker+5New York Post+5.
đĄïž Shaqâs Defense: âIâm Her Protectorâ
- Fierce Advocacy:
A self-described âprotector,â Shaq made it clear: donât pick on Reeseâpick on him if you want trouble New York Post+7Black Enterprise+7CBSSports.com+7. - Sports vs. Hate:
Shaq argued the ReeseâClark rivalry is harmless sports talkânot real societal hateâand urged RGIII to step aside YouTube+7CBSSports.com+7Black Enterprise+7. - Critique of RGIIIâs Legacy:
âAll the stuff you did in your life, youâre gonna be remembered for your podcast⊠that should tell you youâre not that f**king great,â Shaq said AllHipHop+7The Sun+7Awful Announcing+7.
đŹ The Public Clash
- Angel Reese responded sharply, accusing RGIII of lying âwhen everybody know⊠for cloutâ Talksport+7Awful Announcing+7New York Post+7.
- RGIII maintained he reposted the meme to highlight racismâand stood by his âhateâ claim based on alleged sources Men’s Journal+15Awful Announcing+15Talksport+15.
- Media Voices jumped in: Ryan Clark and others criticized RGIII, and Shaq echoed their condemnation via social channels YouTube+8Yardbarker+8Awful Announcing+8.
đ Why It Matters
- Celeb Influence on WNBA Narratives: Shaqâs interjection underscores how high-profile figures shape discourse around womenâs sportsâparticularly when race and respect are involved.
- Boundary of Commentary: The feud raises questions about who should weigh in on womenâs sports battlesâHall of Famers vs. media personalities, podcasts vs. lived experience.
- Mentorship & Protection: Shaqâs aggressive stance exemplifies the long-term relationships and responsibilities between athletes and protĂ©gĂ©s like Reese.
â Verdict
Shaqâs intervention wasnât just protectiveâit was strategic. By threatening RGIII, he forced a wider public reckoning about respect, media ethics, and insider commentary surrounding a rising star. With tensions still simmering, all eyes are now on RGIII’s responseâand whether Reese and Shaq let it go⊠or escalate.
Want a deeper dive? I can track RGIIIâs or Reeseâs next moves, analyze social media sentiment, or examine precedent from high-profile sports feuds.
Key News on ShaqâRGIIIâReese clash
