Angel Reese Reacts to Claressa Shields After Profitable BET Sportswoman of the Yr For The Third Straight Time

On June 9, Angel Reese gained her third consecutive BET Sportswoman of the Yr award, a milestone that sparked each celebration and controversy. The 23-year-old Chicago Sky ahead edged out a stacked area of nominees, together with boxing nice Claressa Shields, gymnast Simone Biles, tennis phenom Coco Gauff, monitor star Sha’Carri Richardson, and WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. Reese’s win got here on the heels of her dominant 2024 WNBA season, the place she led the league in rebounds and solidified her standing as a cultural icon.

However not everybody agreed with the end result.

Claressa Shields Questions the Choice, Then Clarifies

Shortly after the award was introduced, Claressa Shields took to X to share her response. The undefeated boxing champion, 16-0, posted:

“Nonetheless don’t understand how I didn’t win the Sportswoman of the Yr for the @BETAwards however Congrats to Angel Reese and all the opposite Nominees 🤟 I simply thought accolades mattered.”

The tweet amassed over 4.5 million views and ignited a heated debate throughout social media. Followers questioned whether or not the award ought to mirror current accomplishments or lifetime achievements.

Shields later adopted up:

“Ain’t no one saying Angel Reese don’t have accolades or she not good…. I’m saying I believed the individual with ‘THE MOST’ accolades & accomplishments would win the Award. I’m staff Angel Reese!”

Her clarification helped cool tensions, although some critics nonetheless labeled her a sore loser, whereas others praised her for talking up.

Angel Reese Addresses the Backlash with Grace and Accountability

Following a troublesome 85-66 loss to the New York Liberty on June 10, Angel Reese was requested about her BET award and the encircling commentary. She responded with humility:

“Third time’s loopy. It means lots to the tradition, to my folks.”

Regardless of current on-court struggles, she emphasised her work ethic:

“I come into work each day and work. I don’t complain. I don’t care about the rest. I’ve dangerous days. I haven’t been taking part in nicely in any respect, and I can sit right here and simply mope round and level the finger, nevertheless it’s been me. And I take accountability.”

Her phrases resonated with followers who noticed in Reese a younger chief striving for development, even amid criticism.

Evaluating the Resumes: Reese vs. Shields

The controversy largely comes right down to what the BET Sportswoman of the Yr award is meant to acknowledge. Shields, who fought as soon as in 2024—a dominant TKO win over Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on July 27—has a storied profession with titles in 5 weight lessons.

Reese, alternatively, had a breakout WNBA rookie marketing campaign in 2024, averaging 13.6 factors and 13.1 rebounds per sport. She broke Sylvia Fowles’ single-season rebound document and have become an All-Star. Whereas her 2025 season has began slower (10.1 PPG, 12.1 RPG over 8 video games), her off-court presence has solely grown.

From journal covers (together with Vogue) to her cultural rivalry with Caitlin Clark, Reese’s affect extends past the hardwood. BET’s determination probably hinged on that whole package deal: athletic achievement and cultural relevance.

Fan Reactions Cut up Down the Center

X was divided. Some followers backed Shields:

“How does an all-time boxing nice with a number of belts lose to a sophomore WNBA participant?” wrote @BoxingTruth88.

Others defended Reese:

“Shields a beast, however Reese is the second proper now,” @WNBAHeatCheck posted.

“Yr by 12 months, not profession, Claressa. Angel earned that,” added @BballCulture.

A Cultural Determine in Actual Time

BET’s determination will also be learn as a nod to Reese’s standing as a voice for Gen Z athletes. Her unapologetic model, embrace of Black tradition, and advocacy for psychological well being have gained her admiration far past basketball. Reese stated it finest:

“Folks would die and kill to have this job. Having the ability to play with the perfect gamers on the earth means lots to me. I put my all on this.”

In some ways, Reese represents the altering panorama of sports activities recognition—one which values each stats and symbolism.

The Greater Image

The Shields-Reese trade highlights the evolving definition of excellence in ladies’s sports activities. Is it primarily based on long-term dominance or short-term affect? Technical brilliance or social resonance?

For now, Angel Reese stays on the forefront of that dialog. Her third straight Sportswoman of the Yr award could also be polarizing, nevertheless it’s undeniably reflective of her present cultural weight—and her dedication to proudly owning each step of her journey.

In some methods, the state of affairs is corresponding to the feminine rapper debate. A decade in the past, Nicki Minaj was profitable the BET Award for feminine rappers so regularly that she apologized in her acceptance speech throughout her ultimate win. The next 12 months, she had competitors for the award. After that, different feminine rappers gained prominence and ended Nicki’s reign.

Angel Reese’s state of affairs might show to be related, as she’s gained the Sportswoman of the Yr award constantly since 2023.

BET’s Award Focus and Cultural Relevance

The BET Awards have lengthy celebrated not solely athletic excellence however cultural affect. Reese’s rise has include an unprecedented highlight on ladies’s basketball, and her visibility has arguably performed extra to raise the game than any single athlete in 2024.

From her ongoing rivalry with Caitlin Clark to her off-court advocacy and fashion-forward appearances, Reese has helped broaden the dialog round ladies in sports activities. Shields stays one in all boxing’s best athletes, however by way of yearlong affect, BET voters clearly favored Reese.

Conclusion

Angel Reese’s third consecutive BET Sportswoman of the Yr award sparked controversy but in addition underscored the complexities of evaluating athletic greatness. Claressa Shields’ shock highlighted a divide between lifetime accolades and annual affect. Reese’s humble response, regardless of going through criticism and a rocky begin to her 2025 season, reaffirmed her management and dedication.

The general public debate reveals that sports activities honors are about greater than statistics—they mirror cultural relevance, fan connection, and year-over-year consistency. As Reese continues her WNBA journey, and Shields defends her boxing legacy, each ladies stand tall as champions of their respective crafts—and symbols of excellence in Black ladies’s sports activities.