Against all odds, the LSU Tigers won their first-ever NCAA tournament title by defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday night. While the team celebrated their victory, the Tigers’ star forward Angel Reese garnered huge attention when she took a dig at Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark in the last quarter of the game. Reese’s John Cena celebration and ring finger gesture did not sit well with several basketball fans and she was subjected to harsh criticism for her action. Among the unhappy individuals was Dave Portnoy who publicly called out Reese, but ended up facing severe backlash from Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal.

There is no doubt that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark displayed outstanding performances this season. However, it proved to be insufficient when the Tigers claimed victory over her team. Led by Alexis Morris and Angel Reese, LSU dropped 102 points against Iowa’s 85 points.

Shaquille O’Neal fires back at Dave Portnoy

Soon after Angel Reese directed her “You can’t see me” gesture toward Caitlin Clark, basketball fans lashed out at the 20-year-old NCAA champion for being “classless”. They believed that Reese should not have mocked Clark when the team was just a few mins away from losing the championship title. While Reese had her fair share of supporters, it wasn’t enough to keep her critics at bay.

Blogger and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy recently shared a clip of Reese doing the celebration and pointing at her ring finger. In the caption, he wrote, “Classless piece of sh*t.”

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal didn’t take Portnoy’s words too well and he clapped back at the popular media personality with a response of his own. The 4x NBA champion retaliated on behalf of Reese by writing, “and so is your mother.”

Many fans have called out the unmitigated vitriol against Reese’s comments, pointing out that this wouldn’t be the case if a male star had done the same gesture. Shaq has vehemently criticized the commentators who had lashed out at Reese in a attempt to defend the young star.

READ MORE – Mirroring Stephen Curry and John Cena, “Classless” Angel Reese Triggers Fans After NCAA Championship Drama While Sports World Supports Her

Reese talks about her controversial gesture

While basking in the glory of being the new champions, Angel Reese addressed the media regarding her mid-game celebration. The LSU star slammed her critics by saying, “All year I was critiqued about who I was…I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing.”

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Furthermore, she dedicated her win to the girls ‘who look like me that’s gonna speak up for what they believe in, it’s unapologetically you’.

What do you think of the Reese-Clark drama? Who do you agree with? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!