Shaquille O’Neal has achieved nearly every goal he’s set for himself. A Hall of Famer with four NBA titles, three Finals MVPs and 15 All-Star selections, he’s also thrived off the court as an entrepreneur, media figure and philanthropist. Having faced little opposition on his journey to becoming a beloved celebrity, Shaq says he’s never felt the need to start beefs with another man, a topic he touched on during his recent appearance on Off the Record.
Advertisement
While explaining his calm approach to conflicts, Shaq recalled a social media post that made him completely rethink his stance. The former MVP, visibly upset, looked straight into the camera and called out former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III for his recent tweet about Angel Reese.
The eight-year NFL veteran responded to a racist comment that depicted Chicago Sky star Angel Reese as a monkey on the WNBA edition of NBA 2K26. While RGIII condemned the hateful image, his approach missed the mark. He muddled his message by claiming someone close to Reese told him she “hates” Caitlin Clark, an assertion that drew sharp backlash.
Alright. This has got to stop. There is no place for racism in this world. Whether you like a player or not. Angel Reese should never be called or depicted as a Monkey.
I have been quiet on the Angel Reese front because she shared a video that aided in my wife, kids, family and… pic.twitter.com/luxC7h0Rpg
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) July 10, 2025
“RGIII, tweet another monkey post about my girl, Angel Reese, I’m going to punch you in your f****** face,” Shaq said with a death stare. “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 Reese alone.”
Shaq wasn’t the only one to take offense to RGIII’s half-hearted defense. Reese’s mother took to X to give the former Redskin a piece of her mind, calling him out for making up his sources. “Man stop with the [cap emoji]. My daughter’s ‘circle’ is so small & tight, so I’d be interested 2 know who called U,” she replied.
Reese’s mother was confident that anyone who is actually close to her daughter wouldn’t make disparaging comments about her. “Whomever U say ‘called’ U is not in her circle 2 speak on her feelings towards a media/fandom made up beef. Just stay on that side bc the doors are closed over here,” she continued.
Beyond the racist image incident, Griffin added fuel to the fire in the Reese-Clark rivalry, suggesting jealousy fuels her emotions. Despite claiming he was simply telling the truth, RGIII’s repeated focus on Reese brought him backlash from figures like Ryan Clark and Imani McGee-Stafford, who accused him of obsessing over and unfairly targeting the young WNBA star.
It’s clear that there’s some heat between Reese and Clark, but that’s understandable. The two have been competing against one another long before they made it to the W. Such intense matchups naturally come with strong emotions and moments of tension.
Robert Griffin III’s involvement and comments have unnecessarily escalated the situation, though, shifting the focus away from the sport and onto personal drama. The 35-year-old has been gifted a unique opportunity to talk about football after a failed professional career, but if he hopes to hang on to it, he’ll have to watch his words in the future.
