Claressa Shields Shoots Veiled Insult At BET For Naming Angel Reese Sportswoman Of The Year

Claressa Shields and Angel Reese (Photo via Imagn Images)

Claressa Shields served up a backhanded compliment as she congratulated Angel Reese in a tweet that was anything but congratulatory on Tuesday.

Shields and Reese were both nominated for the Sportswoman of the Year accolade at the BET Awards this past weekend, joining A’ja Wilson, Coco Gauff, Dawn Staley, Flau’jae Johnson, Juju Watkins, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Simone Biles.

Reese was the one who got the nod, marking her third capture of said award. But her selection has sparked some controversy, with many labeling it a joke.

The former LSU star had an impressive rookie season with the Chicago Sky, leading the league in rebounds until a wrist injury ended her campaign prematurely. She also went on a run that produced 15 double-doubles.

Claressa Shields (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

While the Sky missed the playoffs, Angel Reese’s Rose BC won the first championship of its inaugural season, during which she recorded the only 20-20 game and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
“Still don’t know how I didn’t win the Sportswoman of the Year for the @BETAwards but Congrats to Angel Reese and all the other Nominees 🤷🏽‍♀️ I just thought accolades mattered,” she wrote in a tweet.

Shields did make a great case for the award as she won the WBO light heavyweight and WBC heavyweight titles in 2024. She also won the WBA heavyweight title earlier this year.

As far as the BET Awards were concerned, Claressa Shields did not stack up, and accolades do not matter as much as she probably thought they did.

So while she might actually be happy for Reese, she’s not all that happy with BET.

Also Read: “It’s Like Comparing Apples And Oranges”: WNBA Legend Candace Parker Weighs In On Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Rivalry