The Viral Edit That Sparked a Firestorm
Honestly, the internet can be a pretty dark place. Just when you think we’ve moved past some of the most tired, ugly tropes in sports, something bubbles up and proves otherwise. If you’ve been anywhere near "WNBA Twitter" or gaming forums lately, you’ve probably seen the phrase angel reese monkey nba2k trending. It’s not because 2K Games actually put something offensive in the game—far from it.
Basically, this whole mess started when a racist "fan" edit went viral.
In July 2025, when 2K Games announced that Chicago Sky star Angel Reese would be the cover athlete for the NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition, the reaction was mixed. Some fans were hyped for the "Bayou Barbie." Others? Not so much. But one specific corner of the internet took it way too far. A photoshopped image began circulating that replaced Angel’s face on the cover with the head of a monkey or a chimp.
It was a blatant, low-effort attempt at a racial slur that unfortunately gained a lot of traction. People weren't just mad about the disrespect; they were exhausted that a professional athlete at the top of her game still has to deal with this kind of bottom-of-the-barrel harassment.
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Why Robert Griffin III Got Dragged Into It
This is where things got really messy. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) decided to weigh in. He tried to "defend" Angel by posting the racist image and denouncing it.
Bad move.
You’ve probably seen the backlash. Most people felt that by reposting the image—even to say it was wrong—he was just giving the original troll exactly what they wanted: a massive platform. RG3 didn't just stop at defending her, though. He managed to weave in some drama about her family and her supposed "rivalry" with Caitlin Clark.
Ryan Clark and even Angel’s mom eventually called him out. It turned into this multi-day "he-said, she-said" saga that completely overshadowed what should have been a massive win for the WNBA. Angel eventually responded on X (formerly Twitter), basically calling him out for "lying for clout." It was a whole thing.
The Problem With 2K Face Scans
If we're being real, part of the reason these weird rumors about character models take off is because NBA 2K has a history of... well, doing the WNBA players a bit dirty.
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In NBA 2K25, fans were already complaining about how Angel Reese looked. While the NBA stars get high-res, sweat-dripping-off-the-nose levels of detail, many WNBA models looked like they were ported over from a PlayStation 2 game. Lexie Hull’s model was so bad it became a meme.
When people see a "bad" scan of a Black athlete, it’s easy for trolls to lean into racist tropes. It’s a vicious cycle:
- 2K doesn't prioritize the WNBA face scans.
- The models look slightly "off" or distorted.
- Trolls use those distortions to create hateful edits.
- The internet explodes.
The community has been begging 2K for years to put the same effort into the "The W" as they do for MyCareer. They finally did a bit more work for the 2K26 cover, which makes the racist edits even more frustrating. Angel actually looks like herself on the real cover, holding her signature Reebok shoe.
Ratings Wars: Is She Overrated?
Beyond the "monkey" controversy, there’s been a massive debate about her actual attributes in the game. In NBA 2K25, Reese was sitting at a 90 overall. For some, that was "diabolical."
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Reddit was essentially a war zone over this. You had people pointing out that her shooting percentages—specifically her "close shot" and "layup" ratings—didn't match her real-world efficiency. Critics argued that Aliyah Boston or Caitlin Clark deserved those higher spots based on pure stats.
But 2K ratings aren't just about field goal percentages. They’re about impact.
- Rebounding: Reese is a historical-level rebounder. You can't have a 2K game where she isn't snagging 15 boards a game.
- Intangibles: She has that "it" factor that draws eyes to the screen.
- Badges: Her "Pogo Stick" and "Rebound Chaser" badges are essentially what make her a 90 overall, even if her mid-range jumper is a work in progress.
Honestly, the "hate" for her 2K rating often feels like a proxy for people who just don't like her personality or her rivalry with the Indiana Fever. It’s sports. People get heated. But when that heat turns into racial caricatures like the one we saw with the 2K26 cover, the conversation stops being about basketball and starts being about something much uglier.
Navigating the Toxicity
So, what do you do when you see this stuff pop up in your feed? Honestly, the best move is usually to report and ignore. The "angel reese monkey nba2k" trend was fueled by engagement. Every time someone shared it to say "look how bad this is," the algorithm saw it as "popular content."
If you’re a fan of the game, focus on the actual gameplay. The WNBA mode in 2K is actually getting better every year, even if the face scans still need some love.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to stay informed without getting sucked into the toxic side of the WNBA community, here’s what you should actually do:
- Check the Official Source: Whenever you see a "leaked" 2K cover or a weird character model, check the official @NBA2K or @WNBA social media accounts first. 99% of the offensive stuff is just fan-made edits.
- Support the Content Creators: Follow creators like DBG or people who actually breakdown WNBA gameplay and ratings based on stats, not "vibes" or hate.
- Voice Your Feedback to 2K: If you think the face scans are bad (and let's be honest, many are), use the official 2K forums or Discord. They actually do update models mid-season if the community noise is loud enough.
- Ignore the Engagement Bait: Guys like RG3 often post controversial things because it drives views. Don't give the "rage-bait" the clicks it wants.
At the end of the day, Angel Reese is a cover athlete for a reason. She’s a double-double machine who has changed the way people look at women’s basketball. No matter what some basement-dweller with Photoshop tries to do, she’s still the one on the box.