‘He Flamed Him Up’: Shaq’s Bold Warning to Robert Griffin III Sparks Fresh Speculation About His Real Motives When It Comes to Angle Reese

Shaquille O’Neal is firing back at Robert Griffin III in defense of NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition video game cover athlete Angel Reese.

Griffin, 35, found himself in the internet hot seat after reposting a racist meme on X. The former NFL player shared a photoshopped image of a chimpanzee as Reese on the NBA 2K cover.

As that controversial post spread across social media, critics slammed RGIII for claiming in it that Reese hates fellow WNBA player Caitlin Clark. His takes on the on-court rivals have spawned a lot of discourse about race in sports.

“That will never be okay with me. I never attacked her or her family when I stated and backed up with clear basketball evidence that Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark. It’s sports. Everybody won’t like each other,” Griffin, 35, tweeted in the July 10 post that included the offensive image.

The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner added, “People in Angel’s inner circle called me and told me I was right and Angel Reese has grown to hate Caitlin Clark because of the media always asking her about Caitlin and being constantly compared to her.”

Reese seemed to address Griffin’s accusations with her own tweet on July 10. She wrote, “Lying on this app when everybody [knows] the first and last name of everybody in my circle for clout is nastyyyy work.”

O’Neal, 53, joined the chat about Griffin during his appearance on the July 15-dated episode of the “Off The Record” podcast with Bailey Jackson. The four-time NBA champion threatened his friend’s tormentor.

“RGIII, tweet another monkey post about my girl Angel Reese, and I’m going to punch you in your f–king face,” Shaq warned. “It’s enough. 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.”

The longtime “Inside the NBA” basketball analyst went on to say he called Reese and told her not to respond to RGIII’s comments. O’Neal then called out the “Outta Pocket” podcaster for seemingly destroying his legacy.

“It’s a shame. All the stuff you did in your life, you’re going to be remembered for your podcast,” O’Neal expressed to Griffin through the interview, before adding, “That should tell you. You’re not that f–king great.”

Shaq’s clapback at Griffin on behalf of Reese caused a lot of commotion on social media. Many fans of the 2000 NBA Most Valuable Player backed him up by blasting RGIII on the X platform.

“He flamed him up!!! This is how OGs move!” read one pro-Shaq tweet. Another responder on the networking app proclaimed, “RG3 been sounding like a chatty, corny b—-h.”

Plus, one Reese supporter tweeted, “Thank God somebody in the sport is sticking up for her and he is absolutely correct!” Additionally, an X user stated, “RG3 has been warned!”

However, O’Neal faced pushback, too. For example, someone posted, “Bruh @SHAQ give it up. You sound like an old creep ‘protecting’ his sugar baby.”

“So if a Black man is supporting a Black woman, [it’s] because he wants to sleep with her?  Thank you, Shaq, for protecting her. More Black men need to do that!” exclaimed an O’Neal backer.

In October 2024, O’Neal was under fire for his comments about Reese when he was a guest on the Chicago Sky forward’s “Unapologetically Angel” podcast. At one point, the conversation centered around the WNBA star’s looks and outfit.

“Imagine you in the same little a– shorts you had on at the ‘Wild ‘N Out’ show, dunking. You know how many t-shirts you’re going to sell?” Shaq said to his fellow Louisiana State University alum as a suggestion for how the league of women could attract a male audience.

Shaq also referred to the players in the WNBA as “gorgeous” but advised they needed to focus on “what the guys like” to see. Reese responded, “We don’t care what the guys like.” The retired Los Angeles Laker center shot back, “That’s the problem.”

Despite that awkward exchange, Shaq has been a huge advocate of Reese throughout her collegiate and professional career. He showered her with high praise on his “The Big Podcast” in April 2023.

“She’s probably the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first. Male or female,” O’Neal said about Reese. The Maryland native, also known as the “Bayou Barbie,” helped the LSU Tigers win the 2023 NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship.

‘He Flamed Him Up’: Shaq’s Bold Warning to Robert Griffin III Sparks Fresh Speculation About His Real Motives When It Comes to Angle Reese