Again for those in the back, Shaq is Team Angel. Yes he was impressed by Caitlin Clark. But the narratives that spun out of it didn’t sit right with him. As a basketball fan, Shaquille O’Neal appreciated Clark’s undeniable talent. However, his bond with Angel Reese takes precedence for him. It appears he didn’t like the implication that he’s picking Clark over Reese. So he clarified his stance on The Big Podcast recently with a football analogy his best friend won’t appreciate.

Adam Lefkoe brought up some questions from fans since O’Neal watched Caitlin Clark play in person for the first time in August. He’s attended many of Reese’s LSU games. But Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky’s final matchup of the regular season was Shaq’s first live WNBA game of the season. He was supporting Reese but he later admitted to the media that Clark is talented.

Given how it escalated to some ‘Shaq abandoning Angel’ narrative, O’Neal right away told his co-host, “First, let’s not get it twisted. I’m Angel all day.”

Shaquille O’Neal could talk about Reese all day because he’s seen her play and workout. He however reserved any fair judgment on Caitlin Clark till he saw her play in person. After that, he could safely say, “I never spoke about her (before) because Angel (Reese) is my girl but I can truthfully say—Caitlin Clark is for real.” He even said that young girls should watch and learn from Clark and Reese but it was taken in another way.

Hence, O’Neal had to use a football example to display his loyalties. “I don’t people to turn it one way and for her to think that I’m turning my back on her. Like, for example, NFL, I’m Cowboys, there ain’t nothing to talk about…WNBA, I’m Angel all day…”

Apart from saying it a few times on the podcast, Shaq shared the clip on his social media a few days later. He doubled down there too, “I’m team Angel Reese all-day.” And he’s allowed to be a mentor to Reese and support her while complimenting Caitlin Clark.

Shaq disagrees with Chuck over Cowboys and Caitlin Clark

Shaq’s often clashing with Charles Barkley over the Cowboys and the Eagles. O’Neal is favoring reigning Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs this season too but he’s rooting for the Cowboys. 76ers legend, Barkley believes Eagles will cause an upset. At the same time, he thinks the Cowboys are doomed because of Dak Prescott’s exorbitant contract.

Similarly, when Barkley went on a tirade against the WNBA, Shaq defended the league. He called Chuck a “loudmouth” and said that Clark needed to “wait her turn.”

This time he reiterated, “Now, I’m not Shaq. I’m a fan. Caitlin plays the right way. I saw it. She makes the right play, she makes her teammates better, she shoots the ball, she’s a great player. But I’m Angel Reese all day. Don’t ever get it twisted.”

He’s enjoying the popularity they’ve brought to women’s basketball so much, he doesn’t want Clark and Reese to be teammates ever. O’Neal is a huge fan of A’ja Wilson and Kamilla Cardoso as well. But the rivalry creates a special narrative Shaq enjoys, until they get it wrong.