StudBudz shoot back after facing fan backlash from Dave Portnoy & Angel Reese controversy
Less than a week after gaining countless new devoted fans because their livestream gave a behind-the-scenes look at the WNBA, the two Minnesota Lynx players are facing backlash from fans who are disappointed that Williams and Hiedeman admitted they would consider having Portnoy come on their Twitch show.
The controversy kicked off on July 19, when Portnoy shouted out the StudBudz on X, and the pair said they'd be open to talking to him. Fans were immediately up in arms because of Portnoy's very vocal attacks on Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, but now the StudBudz have addressed the backlash.
x.com
"Okay, so guess what? When Dave comes on, we're gonna ask him, 'Hey Dave, 'Why are you talking about Angel like that?'" Williams said on a July 23 livestream.
"Because we love her, bad," Hiedeman added.
"Y'all see how simple that is?" Williams continued. "Y'all all over like here like, 'No, no, no!' We don't run away from [this stuff]. ... I don't think he gonna deny it, he seem like the type of guy that's gonna stand on what he feels."
The pair continued to defend themselves on another livestream, where they talked about not wanting 'conditional love' from fans. 'We literally just said we open to having a conversations with anybody and that just made everybody be in like shambles,' Williams said. 'It's like c'mon bro. That conditional love, you can keep that, twin. Keep that conditional love because it's going to be a lot of things me and T probably do that y'all probably ain't gonna like.'
Yesterday, Williams also took to X to point out that Reese is not upset with the StudBudz over their comments. 'The Studbudz have talked to Angel and she knows we don't play about her AT ALL End of Story,' she wrote.
Who is Dave Portnoy?
x.com
Portnoy caught the StudBudz attention when he posted on X after having watched their All-Star weekend livestream, writing, "I've never downloaded Twitch or any streaming platform in my life. That was until today. Studbudz has done more marketing for the @WNBA with their 72 hour stream than the bozos running the league have done since its inception. They are hilarious and humanize everybody.'
But who is Portnoy?
Portnoy is a social media personality and businessman who founded Barstool Sports in 2003. What started as a free sports newspaper with edgy, controversial content has since grown into a media empire worth half a billion dollars. Barstool Sports is well known for popular podcasts like Pardon My Take, for helping to popularize Call Her Daddy before the podcast's controversial exit, and Brianna Chickenfry's BFFs podcast before she left the network.
Portnoy also made headlines in the past when he was accused of sexual assault by two women who made allegations that were made public in a 2021 Insider exposé.
But it is his ongoing criticism of WNBA star Reese that has fans up in arms with the StudBudz because they feel his comments are racially charged.
Angel Reese controversy explained
Portnoy is a vocal fan of the WNBA and has been a Caitlin Clark stan since she was first drafted, but has directed a lot of ongoing hate at Reese.
He has pushed the narrative that Angel Reese is classless, fueling the racially coded way people talk about Reese. He's called her an 'instigator, agitator, and jacka—,' has said that Reese is jealous of Clark, that she "deserved to get booed,' and has gotten angry at people who say his hatred for Reese has anything to do with race.
"I'm sick of ESPN making it a race issue," he said in a video posted to X. "You have a superior basketball player who constantly has someone below taking shots at them, won't shut up, and then plays the victim. … If [Angel] didn't have Caitlin, nobody would know who she is. If Caitlin didn't have Angel, it would be the same popularity for Caitlin."
After allegations were made that fans were hurling racist comments at Reese during a game against Clark, Portnoy called the WNBA's investigation into the incident 'bulls–t.'
'It's okay to have a spine @IndianaFever,' Portnoy posted on X,'The 'investigation' was bulls–t. Both you and @WNBA gave credibly [sic] to a very obvious troll. @espn ran with it. @CaitlinClark22 had to defend her fans for no reason. You made something outta nothing. @IndianaFever fans deserve better.'
StudBudz fan backlash
After the StudBudz's comments about Portnoy, fans quickly took to TikTok and X to criticize the pair for saying they would share their, now very large, platform with someone like Portnoy.
x.com
"#studbudz threw it all away for...checks notes...David Portnoy!"
x.com
"The tragic irony in this….The only reason the Stud Budz are on Portnoy's radar is because they were under Angel Reese all-star weekend & he's obsessed with her! Now they trying to make deals with the [devil emoji] because he bought a Stud Budz jumpsuit."
x.com
"Before I buy anymore #wnba merch this year.. let's see what players stand by studbudz after this bs especially with them blocking people who are just trying to inform them! David Portnoy is a racist essaier whonis also homophobic!"
www.tiktok.com
It was fun while it lasted. I'm off them #studbudz #daveportnoy #wnba #wbb #fyp
x.com
"studbudz trying to hold portnoy accountable bouta look like this"
www.tiktok.com
Dave is a sick man #wnba #wbb #studbudz #courtneywilliams #natishahiedeman #basketball #daveportnoy
x.com
"i personally don't see what studbudz is trying to do with dave portnoy. you are not going to change his view or mind nor are you doing a service for angel . i would respect more if they said they just want to get him on the stream and call it a day ."
This article originally appeared on Pride: StudBudz shoot back after facing fan backlash from Dave Portnoy & Angel Reese controversy
RELATED
This wild livestream seemingly confirmed nearly every WNBA relationship conspiracy
The StudBudz WNBA livestream had everything from Megan Rapinoe talking strap-ons to dissing Diplo
Who are the StudBudz? The basketball duo behind the 72-hour WNBA All-Star livestream
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
17 minutes ago
- New York Post
Twins' Jhoan Duran puts MLB world on hug-watch alert with ultimate fakeout
Jhoan Duran put the baseball world on notice — and made everyone refresh their social media feeds — with one moment of embrace on Tuesday night. The hard-throwing Twins reliever has been at the center of trade deadline rumors and appeared to confirm those suspicions when he was spotted by TV cameras hugging the team's bullpen catcher, Frank Nigro, at Target Field during Minnesota's game against the Red Sox. It quickly sent folks into a frenzy, with people thinking Duran was in a trade to be announced. But this hug watch was a bust — at least for now. Jhoan Duran shared a hug with his Twins bullpen. Not long after the clip went viral, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Duran had not in fact been traded and that 'he was just hugging his bullpen catcher because that's what friends do sometimes.' With less than 48 hours to go until the deadline arrives, Duran is still a Twin. But with Minnesota at 51-55, they're likely full-on sellers, meaning a reliever such as Duran — who has two more years of team control — is a big prize in this year's market that could fetch the Twins a solid return. Jhoan Duran delivers a pitch during the ninth inning of the Twins' home win over the Red Sox on July 28, 2025. Getty Images One National League scout told The Post's Jon Heyman this week that out of the available relievers on the market, they would rank Duran first on a list of 10 other relievers, which also included the righty's teammate, Griffin Jax. The 27-year-old has been one of the best relievers in baseball since getting called up in 2022, and this year, he holds a 2.01 ERA and 211 ERA+ with 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. He's saved 20-plus games the past two seasons and is on pace to do so again with 16 this year.
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cameron Brink made her first Sparks basket since her 2024 injury count
Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink hadn't played in a basketball game since June 2024 before Tuesday night, and she made her first basket back count in front of the home crowd. As Brink returned to the Sparks from an ACL injury sustained during her rookie season, she nailed a 3-pointer to record her first WNBA points in more than a year against the Las Vegas Aces. Brink has been through quite an ordeal to get back to playing in the WNBA, and hitting a 3-pointer as your first bucket since your injury works as quite the welcome back to basketball. Brink's return is much needed for Los Angeles, as she can finally continue building on the early promise she showed in her brief rookie campaign. You have to love such a big basket for Brink after she's gone through so much to get it. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Cameron Brink made first Sparks basket since 2024 injury count
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
WNBA Finals rematch finally here for Liberty, but Lynx see ‘big miss' in long wait
MINNEAPOLIS — It's been 282 days since the Liberty beat the Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals to clinch the franchise's first title. A little more than 40 weeks have passed since Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve blasted the officials and said the title was 'stolen' from them, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert wore her infamous New York skyline dress. Advertisement This WNBA season has passed the midway point, and the Liberty have had their glitzy championship rings for close to 2 ½ months. And yet, a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch has yet to take place. That'll change Wednesday, when the Liberty return to Target Center to face the Lynx for the first time this season. Advertisement But the drama from last year's thrilling and, at times, controversial series has seemingly dissipated. 'It doesn't feel like a Finals rematch anymore honestly,' Lynx star Napheesa Collier said. 'It's a new year for us. And it's been so long, it's almost August, so it's just the two top teams going against each other. We prepare for them, like they're a really great team, which they are. So it doesn't really feel like retribution for last year. It just feels like we're about to play a really good team.' Collier and Reeve questioned the WNBA schedule makers for putting off this match up until so late into the season. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said the Lynx and Liberty not playing until now is a 'big miss' for the league and fans. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Advertisement Collier suggested the Lynx should've played the Liberty in the first game of the season, which would've given Minnesota a chance to play spoiler to New York's ring ceremony. Reeve said the Lynx and Liberty not playing until now is a 'big miss' for the league and fans. 'I think common sense would say that those two teams probably should have played earlier in the season,' Reeve said. Napheesa Collier said the Lynx should have played the Liberty in the opening game of the season and not this late in the year. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement Nonetheless, the time has come for the top two teams in the league to square off, and both teams are looking to bounce back from frustrating losses. The Lynx (22-5) suffered their first home loss of the season to the Dream on Sunday, and the Liberty (17-8) got embarrassed by the Wings a night later. But this game has the makings to bring out the best in both teams. Covering the Liberty like never before Sign up for Madeline Kenney's Inside the Liberty, a weekly Sports+ newsletter. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'That's what you expect,' Reeve said. 'Obviously we have high aspirations. They do, we do — playing each other, right? We'll bring it out of one another, and so should be the intense battle that we all anticipate.'
