The online hate targeting WNBA star Angel Reese hit a disturbing low this week after a racist meme surfaced showing her as a monkey on a fake “NBA 2K26: WNBA Edition” cover. The post, which quickly went viral, sparked immediate backlash for its dehumanizing imagery and racial overtones.
Robert Griffin III, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, broke his silence with a statement on X (formerly Twitter), condemning the image and the hate aimed at Reese. “Whether you like a player or not, Angel Reese should never be called or depicted as a Monkey,” he said. “There should be no space for racism in this world.”
Griffin revealed that he had initially stayed quiet on Reese due to her sharing a video that led to threats against his family, including his children. Despite that, he stood firm in defense of her humanity, stressing that being compared to a monkey is never acceptable—no matter the context.
He also addressed recent tensions between Reese and fellow WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark. Griffin claimed sources from Reese’s inner circle told him she harbored resentment over constant comparisons to Clark in the media. “It’s sports,” he wrote. “Everybody won’t like each other.”
But Reese wasn’t having it. She took to social media to call out Griffin’s claims directly, tweeting, “lying on this app when everybody know the first and last name of everybody in my circle for clout is nastyyyy work.”
The incident is just the latest example of the racist treatment Black athletes—especially Black women—continue to face online. While debates about rivalries and personalities in sports are fair game, using racist tropes like monkey imagery takes it to a hateful and dangerous level.
Reese, who has already dealt with scrutiny since her college days at LSU, continues to face disproportionate criticism in her rookie WNBA season. But this time, the internet wasn’t quiet. Support poured in from fans, media figures, and athletes alike who made one thing clear—racism will not be tolerated.
The line between sports banter and hate speech is not blurry, and this week, social media was reminded of just how deep that line runs.
