NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal issued a stern warning to former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III during a July 15 appearance on the Off The Record podcast, threatening physical violence if Griffin continues posting about WNBA star Angel Reese. The confrontation stems from Griffin’s decision to reshare a racist edit of Reese’s NBA 2K26 cover on social media platform X.
O’Neal directed his comments specifically at Griffin, known as RGIII, after the former quarterback amplified a derogatory image depicting Reese in racially offensive terms. O’Neal stated: “Tweet another monkey post about my girl Angel Reese and I’m going to punch you in your face.”
The controversy began when Griffin reposted the racist edit on July 10, following the announcement that Reese would be featured on the cover of NBA 2K26’s WNBA edition. Griffin claimed he was attempting to condemn the racism by sharing the image, but critics argued he gave the offensive content significantly more exposure by posting it to his 2.2 million followers. The original post had received only 22 likes and 6,000 views before Griffin’s reshare garnered half a million views within two hours.
O’Neal, who serves as a mentor to Reese dating back to her time at Louisiana State University, their shared alma mater, expressed frustration with Griffin’s continued commentary about the Chicago Sky forward. The Hall of Fame center indicated he has been advising Reese not to respond to the criticism and told Griffin to cease his posts about her.
The basketball legend took additional shots at Griffin’s legacy, suggesting that the former Heisman Trophy winner would be remembered more for his podcast work than his athletic achievements. O’Neal indicated that Griffin should stay out of women’s basketball commentary, noting he would have more respect if the criticism came from former WNBA players like Lisa Leslie.
Griffin’s post on July 10 also reignited claims that Reese harbors animosity toward fellow WNBA star Caitlin Clark, a narrative both players have repeatedly denied. Griffin alleged that people close to Reese had confirmed his assertions about her feelings toward Clark, though he provided no specific evidence for these claims. Reese responded indirectly on X, calling the spreading of false information about her inner circle “nastyyyy work.”
The situation escalated when Griffin posted additional commentary suggesting that Reese’s actions had contributed to his family receiving death threats and threats of violence. He claimed these threats came after Reese shared content that he believed aided in targeting his wife and children, though he did not specify what content he was referencing.
O’Neal positioned himself as Reese’s protector during the podcast appearance, emphasizing his role in shielding her from online criticism. He indicated that Reese has the capability to defend herself but that he advises her to maintain composure. The 7-foot-1 former center described Reese as being “from the streets” but encouraged her to avoid engaging with what he termed “fools.”
The rivalry between Reese and Clark has been a focal point of WNBA coverage since both players entered the league, stemming from their competitive college basketball careers. O’Neal defended the competitive nature of their relationship, arguing that athletic rivalry does not constitute genuine hatred and comparing it to real-world conflicts.
Griffin has built a significant media presence following his NFL career, working as a sports analyst for ESPN and hosting the “Outta Pocket” podcast, which has attracted over 251,000 subscribers on YouTube. However, O’Neal suggested that Griffin’s media career would overshadow his athletic accomplishments, including his 2011 Heisman Trophy win and successful rookie NFL season.
Following the podcast appearance, Griffin attempted to clarify his position on social media, stating he had no interest in being portrayed as a villain and wanted to focus on celebrating sports. He maintained that his criticism of Reese was based on basketball analysis rather than personal attacks, though he did not directly address O’Neal’s warnings.
The confrontation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding coverage of women’s professional basketball and the scrutiny faced by prominent players like Reese. O’Neal’s intervention represents a rare instance of a former male athlete publicly defending a current female player against media criticism, particularly from another former male athlete turned analyst.
