"Did things that made you hate her" - Dave Portnoy doesn't mince words about being branded a racist for Angel Reese animosity

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy is not backing off despite the criticism he has faced regarding his comments on Angel Reese. On Thursday, Portnoy appeared on WNBA reporter Rachel DeMita’s “Courtside Club” podcast.

During their conversation, DeMita questioned Portnoy for his animosity toward the Chicago Sky forward. While answering, he gave an account of when his dislike for Angel Reese began, explaining how this sports rivalry has translated into his being branded a racist.

“I started hating Angel in the ring game. I called her a classless piece of s***. That got transformed to ‘Dave’s racist,’” Portnoy said. “That started the rivalry. Angel provoked it. … She did things that made you hate her, no different than any other rivalry.” (Timestamp: 10:43).

Dave Portnoy has gone on record to criticize Reese several times since her debut in 2024. In May 2025, he shared a video on X, saying that Caitlin Clark fans “should hate” the Sky forward.

In July 2025, a potential collaboration with the StudBudz also fell through after fans pressed the Minnesota Lynx players for associating with Portnoy despite his comments regarding Reese.

Dave Portnoy was left stunned by Angel Reese's “brilliant” marketing strategy

One of the more resounding critiques Reese has faced since her debut has to do with her difficulties around the rim. She shot 39.1% in her rookie season and struggled to score efficiently during the early stages of her 2025 campaign. While her efficiency left much to be desired, she was still one of the best rebounders in the league.

But fans criticized the Sky forward, alleging that her rebounding numbers were inflated as she was grabbing many of her own misses near the rim. This critique was widely used against Angel Reese until she decided to market it, coining the term “mebounds” in a video shared on social media.

In July, she shared images of her first signature shoe with Reebok, titled “Angel Reesee 1 Mebounds.” The marketing move effectively turned her critique into a strength, drawing a rare compliment from Dave Portnoy.

“I hate (sports sense) Angel Reese. Hate her. That’s how much it pains me to admit how brilliant it was for her team to trademark Mebounds and make it her thing. Brilliant. I hate how brilliant it is,” Portnoy wrote.

Her first signature shoe was released on Sept. 18, with the collection selling out quickly.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan