LSU basketball star Angel Reese has attracted criticism for her celebratory gesture following the women’s NCAA Championship game. Some have dubbed Reese’s gesture “disrespectful” and “classless,” in which she imitated WWE star John Cena’s ‘You can’t see me’ gesture and pointed to her ring finger. Even more controversy erupted after Sports commentator Keith Olbermann tweeted, calling Reese a “f*cking idiot.” Meanwhile, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal dragged one of Reese’s hater’s mother into the controversy, before bringing up Reese’s upbringing in Baltimore.

Reese justified her actions, saying they were intended to encourage young women to be themselves and to make a statement to her critics. Condoning her gesture, many fans have pointed out the disparity in treatment received by male and female athletes.

In a tweet thread that was just a long extension of Reese’s backlash, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy wrote, “Classless piece of sh*t” and Shaq replied, “And so is your mother.”

Shaquille O’Neal sheds light on Angel Reese’s upbringing 

According to recent reports, Shaquille O’Neal has spoken out in defense of LSU player Angel Reese following her trash-talking with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. O’Neal attributed Reese’s behavior to her upbringing in Baltimore, where she learned to “grow up how you grow up”.

He emphasized that Reese’s emotions were a natural part of her game and that she played with passion, which is what he would expect from any athlete who wins a championship. “She talks her talk. She’s from Baltimore. When you grow up in certain areas, you gotta grow up how you grow up,” O’Neal said. 

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O’Neal also pointed out that Reese is a college student who is doing well academically and has no criminal record or personal issues. He urged critics to leave her alone and focus on celebrating her championship win. “She’s a college student, she’s passing her classes, You ain’t got no drug arrest, you ain’t got no DUIs, you ain’t got no boyfriend problems. So leave that girl alone,” Shaq said.

“Only One Did It With Class”: Angel Reese and UConn Star Jordan Hawkins’ Surprising Connection After NCAA Championship Win Draws Perplexing Takes From Fans

O’Neal’s comments echo a sentiment that has been expressed by many defenders of Reese, who argue that she has been unfairly criticized for behavior that is common in sports. They note that other players, including Clark, have engaged in similar trash-talking with little to no public outcry.

Shaq criticizes Olbermann 

Reese’s behavior has been a hot topic in the media since her team won the national championship on Sunday. Many prominent voices have expressed disapproval of her actions, with some calling her “classless” and a “f*cking idiot.” O’Neal was among those who spoke out in defense of Reese, taking issue with the harsh language used by some critics. “If he would have said that was a classless move, I wouldn’t have responded,” O’Neal said to Olbermann. “But you say, f*cking idiot? You don’t do that. You don’t know that little girl like I do.”

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