The WNBA has been following a remarkable upward trajectory since the start of this season. Recently, this has prompted Shaquille O’Neal to point out the reason behind the league’s increased global visibility. While doing so, the 52-year-old endorsed the contributions of the rookie, Angel Reese, garnering the basketball world’s attention.
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Shaq took to Instagram to outline his thoughts. Sharing a post from his story, the 4x champion highlighted Reese’s impact in the WNBA. Shortly after, an NBA fan put the limelight on his endeavors on X (formerly Twitter), sparking discussions everywhere.
Shaq on IG pic.twitter.com/pb714zjRNn
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) June 29, 2024
The initial post circled Baller Alert’s article on how the 2024 rookie class transformed the league. It lauded the inclusion of Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Cameron Brink in the WNBA while emphasizing their presence in disrupting the community.
The post also highlighted the historical TV ratings and viewership since these youngsters arrived. For instance, the league experienced a 156% growth in attendance in May compared to the previous season. Nearly 400,000 fans attended WNBA games in person, marking the highest attendance numbers since 1998. Furthermore, TV viewership has tripled in recent months.
Much of this has been down to the rivalry between Clark and Reese. Since locking horns in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final, the duo contributed heavily to modifying the college circuit. They have carried this impact into the WNBA, contributing to the changing times in the league.
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That’s why Shaq’s latest actions remain understandable. At the same time, it again brought forward the closeness between the 2000 MVP and the Chicago Sky rookie. The former has been someone Reese looks up to, and they have grown close since her NCAA National Championship triumph. Last year, for example, he even called the 22-year-old “probably the greatest athlete to come out of LSU sports”.
So, O’Neal’s words further strengthened his bond with Reese while validating one of her recent declarations.
Angel Reese probably needed this support
Earlier this month, Reese raised eyebrows everywhere with her ambiguous claim. The Sky rookie pointed out her impact in transforming the WNBA while highlighting the lasting influence of the 2023 NCAA Final. Expressing her viewpoint, she publicly declared,
“It all started from the national championship game…People are talkin’ about women’s basketball that you would never think to talk about women’s basketball. People are pulling up to games. We got celebrities coming to games, sold-out arenas, just because of one single game…It’s not just because of one person. It’s because of me too and I want you to realize that”.
Shaq’s actions added volume to Reese’s statement. However, the WNBA fanbase hasn’t made peace with this claim yet. So, Reese must put her head down and work on her craft to back her words with actions in the long run.
