Dave Portnoy gives passionate defense of disliking Angel Reese amid Caitlin Clark controversy

On Monday, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark called out Robert Griffin III for claiming that Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark. In his critical rant, Clark also name-dropped Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, claiming Portnoy “poured onto Angel Reese.”

Portnoy is a massive supporter of Clark and has been outspoken about his dislike for Reese. In fact, Portnoy was in attendance for the Fever’s 93-58 season-opening win over the Sky on Saturday, when Reese and Clark got into a heated altercation after Clark committed a Flagrant 1 foul.

The WNBA is investigating the way Fever fans reacted to the incident after there were allegations that Fever fans made racially insensitive comments toward Sky players. On Tuesday, Portnoy released a rant, defending his stance in the Clark-Reese rivalry, while firing back at pundits like Clark, who believe the rivalry has racial undertones.

“Race-baiters on the left, race-baiters on the right, every day trying to make this rivalry about race,” Portnoy said. “I’m sure there are some black people who hate Caitlin just because she’s white. I’m sure there’s white people who hate Angel just because she’s black. But I want to speak for what I feel is Caitlin Clark fans.

“The way Ryan Clark just drops my name, like ‘hate,’ like Caitlin Clark fans or Fever fans or Iowa Hawkeye fans don’t have a right or reason to hate Angel Reese, like she’s a victim out of the clouds just because of the color of their skin, is infuriating. Caitlin fans have every reason to hate Angel Reese. I say hate in the sports sense… Angel Reese has been nothing but an instigator, agitator and jack*ss, basically, for the last couple of years.”

Portnoy pointed to the past incidents between Clark and Reese to support his claims. Specifically, Portnoy reflected on the moment Reese taunted Clark after LSU defeated Iowa in the National Championship in 2023.

Further, Portnoy refuted accusations that Clark has similarly taunted Reese. Portnoy believes Caitlin Clark fans’ dislike for Reese is based in moments like the 2023 National Championship, not any racial bias.

“Spare me the race narrative for 99% of Caitlin Clark fans,” Portnoy said. “I became a Caitlin fan because I had never seen a female basketball player, black or white, play like she does. Pull up from the logo 3, dimes all over the court, like eyes in the back of the head. It has nothing to do with the color of skin.

“There’s been tons of white superstars. None of them have captivated a country like Caitlin has,” Portnoy continued. “None of them play like Caitlin [does]. So that’s why she’s so popular. And the jealousy, or the hatred that, yes, Angel Reese has toward her and has consistently shown makes Caitlin fans hate her.

“Why is Caitlin Clark being asked about racism? She has never said one thing racist. Her fans just love her. But if you have one player who’s constantly poking at you, constantly prodding, constantly degrading you, constantly doing these things — yes, you’re gonna f***ing hate her. It has nothing to do with the color of the skin.”