Is Caitlin Clark the sole harbinger of the newfound interest in the WNBA? Her NCAA rival Angel Reese couldn’t disagree more. She argued that she should also be credited for the unprecedented uptick in the league’s popularity in recent times. During a recent media interaction, the Chicago Sky Center claimed that the WNBA’s current fame can be traced back to the 2023 NCAA Finals, where her LSU Tigers defeated Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes and broke several TV viewing records.
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Amid the growing buzz around Caitlin Clark, Reese asserted her role as another important NCAA star who has been at the forefront of this basketball revolution in the W. In that wake, Reese’s ‘Uncle’ Shaquille O’Neal took to his Instagram and platformed her thoughts
“The reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me too,” ESPN quoted Angel Reese in a recent post. ‘Uncle’ Shaq shared this quote on his Instagram stories without adding any captions.
This quote by Reese makes a lot of sense because she was as popular as Clark during LSU’s 2023 NCAA run. Her expressive personality and fashion sense coupled with a terrific game resonated with a lot of fans. However, her Iowa Hawkeyes rival certainly started to pull away in this year’s competition, making it to the Finals once again leading a depleted roster.
shaq comes in force to support his 'niece' angel reece pic.twitter.com/g4DA6DshS0
— Ballerz Worldwide (@ballaznba) June 4, 2024
It’s natural for Reese to disapprove of CC being bestowed with all the credit that she has also worked hard for. To her point, the 2024 Draft’s #7 pick is also becoming an instant WNBA fan-favorite due to her attitude. Having the backing of 3x NBA Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal has also helped her case.
The Diesel has backed Bayou Barbie at every turn
After Reese won the 2023 NCAA title and earned the Most Outstanding Player of the Year award, Shaq declared that she was the best athlete in LSU’s history. This was a huge claim since the program has been home to legendary athletes like basketball wizard Pete Maravich, Olympic gold medalist Lolo Jones, and Shaq himself, to name a few.
These words were not hollow and the big fella defended his take on numerous occasions. He disapproved of any negative reaction towards her ‘niece’ and showed love to the college star in her ups and downs. He also pushed Angel to do better and even signed her to Reebok.
Of course, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t her real uncle, but he has backed her like family throughout her career. After Reese’s comments went viral, fans are now once again eager to see how Clark’s rivalry with the Chicago Sky star plays out this season.
