Claressa Shields, a multi-division boxing world champion and Olympic gold medalist, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her reaction after losing the 2025 BET Sportswoman of the Year award to basketball star Angel Reese. The award ceremony, held on June 9, honored outstanding achievements in sports and entertainment but Shields felt overlooked despite her notable accomplishments.

“Still don’t know how I didn’t win the Sportswoman of the Year for the BET Awards,” Shields tweeted. “But congrats to Angel Reese and all the other nominees. I just thought accolades mattered.”

Her comments sparked immediate backlash from fans on social media. Some users interpreted her remarks as bitterness rather than fair critique. “Girl, don’t get on here complaining. You’re talented — don’t let that get overshadowed because you appear to come off as a sore loser. Just delete the tweet, say congratulations, and keep it moving,” one user responded.

Shields Clarifies Her Stance and Praises Angel Reese

In an effort to clear the air, Shields followed up with several tweets emphasizing that she had no intention of discrediting Angel Reese or downplaying her accomplishments.

“Ain’t nobody saying Angel Reese don’t have accolades or she not good,” Shields wrote. “I just thought the person with the most accolades and accomplishments would win the award. I’m team Angel Reese!”

Shields also acknowledged that while her initial post may have sparked controversy, it came from a place of competitive spirit. “I’m not joining any hate train when it comes to Angel Reese,” she clarified. “I have mad respect for her and all the female athletes who dominate in their sports. I was just shocked. I’m allowed to feel disappointed.”

Ultimately, Shields used the moment to reaffirm her respect for Reese and all female athletes, while standing by her right to express her honest reaction.