Jemele Hill had no problem picking a fight with Dave Portnoy over the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark drama.
Following LSU’s win over Iowa in the NCAA women’s tournament championship game, the internet has been buzzing about Reese, who is facing backlash for her John Cena “you can’t see me” taunt at Hawkeyes phenom Caitlin Clark.
Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, called Reese “a classless piece of s–t,” on Twitter, and included a video of her on-court gesture.
Hill — a contributor for The Atlantic, who departed ESPN in 2018 — quote-tweeted Portnoy’s post on Monday, writing: “So I’m going to pick this fight. F–k you.”
Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal also replied to Portnoy with: “and so is your mother.”
The Barstool personality didn’t back down from his remarks.
LSU’s Angel Reese reacts towards Iowa’s Caitlin Clark during the fourth quarter of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball championship game on April 2, 2023 in Dallas, Tx. Getty Images
Jemele Hill attends the Allstate Party at the Playoff, hosted by ESPN & CFP on January 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images for ESPN & CFP
“I’m in a pretty big full-fledged internet war,” Portnoy said, adding that he bet on Iowa to win.
“That bet is a major part of probably what transpired and I can explain,” Portnoy said. “… I call her ‘a classless piece of s–t’ and off we go… It is classless by the way… If someone does something that I don’t like in a game I’m watching, I tweet.”
Portnoy explained that it wasn’t Reese’s trash talk that he had an issue with.
“I think you’re basically lying if you’re saying what Caitlin Clark did and Angel Reese did are the same thing — they’re not,” Portnoy said.
“I like trash talking. If you hit a big shot in the moment or you’re talking s–t in the moment, back and forth… I don’t care. That is not what Angel Reese did.”
Dave Portnoy attends Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at The Apollo Theater for SiriusXM’s Small Stage Series on Sept. 13, 2022 in New York City. Getty Images for SiriusXM
Portnoy’s argument was that Reese “followed” Clark after the game was over to taunt her.
“Find me one example in any sport, of anybody, after somebody wins a championship, confetti coming down, not in a close game — and find me a player stalking the best player on the other team,” Portnoy said.
“It is not sexist. It does not happen. If a man did that, he would be called ‘classless’ and nobody would be saying anything.”
In a separate tweet, Portnoy denied that the issue, at its core, is about race.
On Monday, Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” that he believes there is a racial component to the situation.
Reese’s “you can’t see me” celebration was the same gesture Clark made in Iowa’s Elite Eight win over Louisville.
Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey said during an appearance on the “Today” show Monday that Reese is not going to apologize — and that trash-talk is part of who she is as a player.
“[Reese] was upset because they [the public] attack her and they didn’t attack Caitlin and things like that,” Mulkey said.
LSU’s Angel Reese reacts towards Iowa’s Caitlin Clark during the fourth quarter of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball championship game on April 2, 2023 in Dallas, Tx. Getty Images
“Listen, that child is a beast on the boards rebounding. That child just won a national championship. She’s not afraid of social media. That is who Angel is.”
Jemele Hill slams Dave Portnoy for ‘classless’ take on Angel Reese: ‘F-k you’
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