Support for WNBA star Angel Reese continues to grow as backlash against former Washington Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III shows no signs of dying down.
Many fans, athletes, and public figures have voiced support for Reese while criticizing Griffin for his role in amplifying racially charged content online. The latest to weigh in is WWE legend Mark Henry, who shared his thoughts on the situation during an episode of The Morning Kick-Off with Mark “Hardball” Hardge and Mark Henry.
Henry made it clear that Griffin’s actions shifted his perception of the former quarterback. “For him to go on and do what he did, and bring light to something that’s so racist, so hateful, and so disrespectful. It made me look at him differently,” Henry said.
At the middle of the controversy is Griffin’s decision to reshare a meme that depicted Angel Reese as a monkey. A move that Henry and many others saw as irresponsible and harmful. “It would have been fine if that’s where he left it,” Henry said, referring to Griffin’s earlier comments about the ongoing Reese-Caitlin Clark debate. “But he retweeted and sent out a meme that had Angel Reese as a monkey.”
Henry pointed out that the meme might have gone relatively unnoticed—seen by only a small group—had Griffin not broadcast it to his large platform. “Maybe 1,000 people saw it. But when he posted it, millions of people saw it, and it became a thing,” he said.
Henry’s frustration mirrors comments from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, who also criticized the way Griffin inserted himself into the drama. Both men emphasized that while tension between athletes is normal, targeting a Black woman crosses a line. “Listen, athletes don’t always like each other. And nothing is wrong with that,” Henry said. “But this? This was different.”
The ongoing Reese-Clark media saga has continued to fuel conversation about how race, gender, and sports intersect in the public eye. And for many, Griffin’s actions added unnecessary fuel to a fire that didn’t need to be lit. “Every athlete of color around the world is going to banish him,” Henry predicted. “He’s going to be a footnote in history.”
As the situation unfolds, it's clear that Angel Reese is not alone. From legends like Mark Henry people are standing behind her and speaking out against the ways Black women are often disrespected, especially when they dare to be confident, bold, and unapologetically themselves.
