Shaquille O’Neal is among the prominent voices who’ve argued that the WNBA’s stellar growth is a collective effort. He has insisted that Angel Reese and other players deserve as much credit as Caitlin Clark for helping the sport grow. But when Charles Barkley ripped WNBA players in his presence and claimed they were jealous of the rookie, he did not refute the claim, irking Reese, who questioned his lack of a retort.
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On the Big Podcast with Shaq, the four-time NBA champion said the Chicago Sky star was upset at him for not calling out Barkley for his vicious rant about Reese and her peers.
He has never shied away from disagreeing and arguing with his Inside The NBA co-host but stayed mum when he attacked WNBA players for their treatment of Clark. However, the LA Lakers icon had an excuse for it. Talking about his conversation with Reese, O’Neal said,
“Angel actually called me. She was upset [and asked me,] ‘Why you didn’t say nothing?’ I said, ‘Angel, because Charles does what he always does.’ He takes up a segment and by the time [it’s my turn, the producers say,] ‘Sorry we got to get to commercial.”
While O’Neal’s alibi may sound like a cop-out, evidence suggests he tried to respond to Barkley’s rant before co-host Ernie Johnson steered the conversation to another topic. While the Hall of Famer failed to defend Reese, she did not mince words when she had the chance to claim credit for women’s basketball’s stellar growth.
Angel Reese demands credit for a role in the WNBA’s surge in popularity
Chicago Sky stars, Angel Reese and Chennedy Carter, were on the receiving end of incessant bashing on social media after their rough treatment of Clark in a game against the Indiana Fever. The following day, the duo spoke at a press conference, where the rookie demanded credit for playing a part in helping the WNBA’s popularity reach new heights. She said,
“I know I’ll go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, ‘Yeah, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me, too.’ And I want you to realize that. Like, it’s just not ’cause of one person. A lot of us have done so much for this game.”
Reese has unabashedly demanded respect and acclaim for her role in the WNBA’s unprecedented growth over the past two years. She has no qualms in claiming she’s as important to the league’s rise in popularity as Clark and isn’t concerned about the backlash she’d receive for making that bold statement.
Considering the type of relationship she has with her Uncle Shaq, her expectations are not unjustified. And the big fella has tried to fulfill those on most occasions.
