Angel Reese Breaks Her Silence After Robert Griffin III’s Racism Post Goes Viral: “Stop Lying For Clout”
In a week that should’ve been a celebration for Chicago Sky star Angel Reese—gracing the cover of NBA 2K26, making WNBA history with rebounding records, and continuing her electric second season—she instead found herself once again caught in the eye of a storm.
This time, the catalyst wasn’t a hard foul or a viral post-game quote. It was Robert Griffin III, the former NFL quarterback turned football analyst, who reignited public drama involving Reese, her alleged feelings about Caitlin Clark, and now—something much darker.
As a racist, fan-made image depicting Angel Reese with a monkey photoshopped onto her face began circulating online, the sports world recoiled. The image, allegedly created in response to Reese’s NBA 2K26 cover reveal, drew widespread condemnation—and rightfully so.
But what started as a moment of solidarity quickly turned into another divisive online firestorm when RGIII inserted himself directly into the conversation—again.
Angel Reese and Robert Griffin (Photos via USA Today)
The Racist Image That Shook the WNBA Fanbase
When the image hit social media, it didn’t take long for it to go viral—and not in a good way. The photoshopped post, steeped in racist imagery, outraged athletes, fans, and media figures across the spectrum. For many, it was a painful reminder that no matter how successful or historic Black athletes become, there are still those willing to tear them down in the most degrading ways imaginable.
Angel Reese, who has faced criticism, scrutiny, and racial undertones since her rise to national prominence, now found herself targeted in the most vile way yet.
And surprisingly—perhaps even ironically—Robert Griffin III was one of the first prominent voices to stand up in her defense.
RGIII Speaks Out: “This Has Got to Stop”
Griffin, now a sports analyst and no stranger to social media drama, took to X (formerly Twitter) with a passionate post.
“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,” RGIII wrote.
His statement, which rapidly gained traction online, condemned the racist post and emphasized a key point: criticism is fair—but racism is never acceptable.
But then, RGIII went further. And that’s where things took a turn.
In the same thread where he denounced racism, Griffin brought back his longstanding feud with Angel Reese, citing an incident involving a video she once shared that, according to him, resulted in death threats against his family.
“I have been quiet on the Angel Reese front,” he continued, “because she shared a video that aided in my wife, kids, family, and friends receiving death threats… That will never be okay with me.”
Then came the most controversial part of the post:
“People in Angel’s inner circle called me and told me I was right—Angel Reese has grown to hate Caitlin Clark because of the media always asking her about Caitlin and being constantly compared to her.”
That single sentence detonated across WNBA Twitter.
Because while RGIII claimed to be defending Reese against racism, he simultaneously reignited a deeply personal narrative—that Angel Reese “hates” Caitlin Clark—a storyline she’s long denied and repeatedly distanced herself from.
Angel Reese’s Mom Claps Back: “Stop With the Cap”
If Robert Griffin III thought his post would earn him respect or sympathy, he was sorely mistaken.
Not long after his post went live, Angel Reese’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, entered the chat—and shut it down.
“Man stop with the 🧢 (cap),” she wrote on X, using slang to call out Griffin for lying. “My daughter’s ‘circle’ is so small and tight so I’d be interested (to) know who called (you). Whomever (you) said ‘called’ (you) is not in her circle to speak on her feelings towards a media/fandom made-up beef.”
No filters. No hesitation. A mother protecting her daughter—and calling out what she saw as nothing more than clout chasing.
But the conversation didn’t end there.
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Angel Reese Breaks Her Silence: “Nastyyyy Work”
For a while, Angel Reese stayed silent. She’s been the subject of criticism all season—accused of everything from being too emotional to too competitive. And most recently, she’s had to navigate the narrative that she’s the “villain” in the WNBA’s media machine, while Clark plays the hero.
But RGIII’s comment crossed a line she could no longer ignore.
Taking to her own X account, Reese clapped back in the most Angel Reese way possible:
“Lying on this app when everybody know the first and last name of everybody in my circle for clout is nastyyyy work,” she wrote.
It was a short post—but it hit like a freight train. She didn’t name him directly. She didn’t need to. Everyone knew exactly who she was talking about.
Angel’s message was clear: don’t speak for me. Don’t speak for my circle. And don’t weaponize my name to clean up your own mess.
A Cover Star, A Role Model, A Target
It’s hard to overstate just how big this moment should have been for Angel Reese.
Being featured on the cover of NBA 2K26 isn’t just a career milestone—it’s a cultural moment. For a young Black woman from Baltimore to go from college phenom to WNBA All-Star to video game cover athlete in under two years is a story worth celebrating.
But as has so often been the case, Reese’s triumph was met not with applause, but attacks.
Instead of basking in her achievement, she had to respond to a racist image. Instead of discussing her dominance on the court, she had to shut down lies about her personal relationships. And instead of leading a new generation of girls in empowerment, she was being asked to defend her existence—again.
Yet through it all, Angel hasn’t flinched.
She keeps showing up. Keeps delivering double-doubles. Keeps breaking records. Keeps standing up—not just for herself, but for all the young women who see themselves in her.
The Bigger Question: Who Controls the Narrative?
At the heart of this drama is a question bigger than RGIII, bigger than Reese or even Clark.
Who gets to define the narrative in women’s basketball?
Is it the former NFL players looking to go viral?
Is it the fans who Photoshop hate onto faces they don’t like?
Angel Reese (Photo By Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)
Or is it the athletes themselves—young, powerful, unapologetic—who are finally taking the pen back and writing their own legacies?
Angel Reese has made her answer loud and clear: She controls her story.
And despite the noise, the hate, the accusations, and the lies, she’s not letting anyone take that from her.
Final Word: Let Her Ball
As the WNBA hits the midpoint of a historic season, the game has never been more popular—or more scrutinized.
And Angel Reese is right at the center of it.
She’s not perfect. She’ll tell you that herself. But what she is—unapologetically—is authentic.
She plays with fire. She speaks her mind. And she’s showing millions of young girls what it means to be confident, bold, and unbothered in the face of controversy.
So to the trolls, the critics, and even the well-meaning defenders who sometimes cause more harm than good: maybe it’s time to stop talking about Angel Reese—and start listening to her.
Because she’s made one thing clear:
She’s not your villain. She’s not your pawn. She’s not your storyline.
She’s a star.
