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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

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Is Shaq's absence at his kids' games a sign of tough love or misplaced priorities?

The Big Aristotle doesn’t mind going the extra mile for his kids. But there’s one thing that bothers him quite a bit. It was the game opener for both of his children, and he missed it. Although he wanted to be there, however, previously, on Angel Reese’s podcast, the Big Aristotle admitted that he doesn’t attend college basketball games. Despite his intentions, the basketball star’s dilemma led him to contradict his own claims.

He just attended another college basketball game. It’s no secret that O’Neal generally doesn’t follow college basketball. And he tends to avoid it more when his kids are playing. On Angel Reese’s podcast, O’Neal confessed that he doesn’t watch college basketball when the WNBA star expressed excitement about the season opener games.

However, the Chi-Town Barbie quickly pointed out that the Big Aristotle had attended some of her previous games, particularly one in Las Vegas. That’s right; he did. The credit goes to basketball stars like Reese, Clark, JuJu Watkins, and others who have brought attention to college basketball. “You came to my game when we played Colorado in Vegas and you came to my game when I got a 20 2020 stop acting,” Reese argued.

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USA Today via Reuters

When Clark and Reese faced off for the last time in the NCAA tournament, O’Neal claimed that he paid more attention to women’s basketball than men’s because he felt they were playing better. 

“I hate to say it, but the women players are kicking the men’s butts. You’ve got my Angel Reese. You’ve got all the girls from South Carolina. You’ve got JuJu Watkins, you’ve got Caitlin Clark,” O’Neal claimed.

He seemed to backtrack on another of his previous claims.

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Shaquille O’Neal watches son Shaqir O’Neal play 

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Is Shaq's absence at his kids' games a sign of tough love or misplaced priorities?

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Shaquille O’Neal may have missed his daughter Me’Arah’s game, but he couldn’t resist taking a seat at the TCU vs. FAMU game in Schollmaier Arena. There was a special reason for his attendance. His youngest son, Shaqir, was playing for FAMU. Shaqir started for the Rattlers and scored 2 points.

O’Neal didn’t stay for the entire game as TCU continued to dominate, clinching a 105-59 win over the Rattlers. On the podcast with Reese, he claimed that he doesn’t watch his kids play because they don’t perform well when he’s watching as he tends to make expressions that may distract them.

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When I watch my kids play, they don’t play well. I make a lot of faces. So, the certain faces I make probably seem like I’m me. They don’t play well around me. They are 18 now and they’re grown. They know, as a father, if they need me, I’ll always be there. But I just let them live that life,” O’Neal said.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend’s ex-wife Shaunie attended Me’Arah’s game while watched son on the phone on Day 1, so, it’s only right for O’Neal to keep those feelings aside. He is always supportive of his children even if he is not present. But he ultimately chose to show some support to his son, even if it was a bit late.

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