Claressa Shields feels she was robbed by not winning BET Sportswoman of the Year

Boxer Claressa Shields sounded off on social media June 10 after WNBA star Angel Reese topped her and seven others for Sportswoman of the Year honors at the 2025 BET Awards.  “Still don’t know how I didn’t win the Sportswoman of the Year for the @BETAwards but Congrats to Angel Reese and all the other Nominees,” Shields posted on X with a shrug emoji. “I just thought accolades mattered.”

Shields’ accolades over the past year include defeating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse for the WBO light heavyweight and WBC heavyweight titles last July and then beating Danielle Perkins for the WBA heavyweight title in February.  Reese won the award for the second consecutive year over a star-studded field of Shields, A’ja Wilson, Coco Gauff, Dawn Staley, Flau’jae Johnson, JuJu Watkins, Sha’Carri Richardson and Simone Biles.

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, did make it clear she supports Reese, but thought she was more deserving of the honor.  “Ain’t nobody saying Angel Reese don’t have accolades or she not good…. I’m saying I thought the person with “THE MOST” accolades & accomplishments would win the Award,” Shields posted, adding, “I’m team Angel Reese!”  Shields attended the awards ceremony with her boyfriend, Brooklyn rapper Papoose.  “For My First BET Nomination, I came how a Champion Should,” she posted on Instagram, saying the couple enjoyed the full experience.

 

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As for the Sportsman of the Year award, it went to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.  He prevailed over a field that included Aaron Judge, Anthony Edwards, Deion Sanders, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Saquon Barkley and Stephen Curry.