Shaquille O’Neal Warns Robert Griffin III To Stop Posting About Angel Reese Or ‘I’ll Punch You In The Face’

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal emphatically called out former quarterback turned media personality Robert Griffin III, telling him to stop posting commentary about WNBA star Angel Reese – and he made it clear what might happen if he didn’t. O’Neal went so far as to say he would punch Griffin in the “f—ing face.”

Reese has become one of the most polarizing athletes in sports, and her rivalry with Caitlin Clark has turned into a toxic national conversation. Griffin has regularly posted about the dynamics between Reese and Clark, second-year WNBA players whose rivalry stretches back to college, with language that often seems intent on stoking the divide.

But what set O’Neal off this time was Griffin deciding to repost a racist edit of Reese’s NBA 2K26 cover, which drew backlash for amplifying the post even as he insisted he was calling out the racism. That drew a response from O’Neal, who has been a mentor to Reese since her time at LSU, their shared alma mater. The Hall of Fame center didn’t mince words on the Off the Record podcast when telling Griffin to stop posting about Reese.

“She’s not gonna respond ’cause I’m the one calling and telling her, ‘Baby, keep it classy.’ ‘Cause she’s not soft, by any means, she’s from the streets,” O’Neal said. “But I’m like you’re beautiful, don’t indulge with these fools. ‘Cause he’s a fool. You don’t even have a G14 classification to say that. I would respect it more if Lisa Leslie said it. Like, that’s y’all category. Stay out of them people’s category. Like, I don’t mind you doing your job, but don’t pick on that little girl. ‘Cause guess what? I’m her protector. Now pick on me. You pick on me, I’m gonna punch you in your f—ing face.”

Both Reese and Clark insist that any animosity between the two ends once they step off the court, but people can’t let go of the idea that they hate each other. Griffin has been among the most prominent figures pushing that narrative.