“She’s probably the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU sports.” Well, not a day has gone by throughout this year when NBA legend Shaquille O Neal’s statement about Chicago rockstar Angel Reese doesn’t reflect the unbreakable and special bond between the two. The former Lakers star, on countless occasions, seems to have backed the Baltimore native. While he does seem to celebrate his niece’s ascent into stardom in the professional scheme of things, there is, however, one Reese accomplishment that continues to haunt him in a way.

The latest episode of the Big Podcast has Shaquille O’Neal getting candid alongside NFL great and fellow LSU alum Leonard Fournette. Among the many topics, these two celebrated sports athletes had interesting exchanges about, one was a conversation about LSU greats. And that would be incomplete without Angel Reese in it. “We get judged by championships,” Shaq expressed. “We don’t get judged by yards or points or broken backboard. She did something that we wanted to do but we couldn’t.” 

Of course, the seven-footer would know a thing or two about breaking backboards. But anyone who’s sensing envy in his statement didn’t have to wait long to hear the word they were looking for. “You can’t say Pete (Maravich), you can’t say Shaq. She won. You know how she won? I was here for the parade. Jealous. Looking at all them people I was like damn I wish I could have done that.” 

Even the 4× NBA champion can’t deny the historic significance of this monumental feat by Angel Reese. Apparently, making the way for LSU to grab their first-ever national championship has etched her name into the legion of greats. Even surpassing some like her Uncle Shaq and Pistol Pete. So, one wouldn’t blame the 7 ft 1 giant if he still has some mixed feelings about the day. After all, there was hardly a trophy left that failed to make it to his cabinet during his prime.

Meanwhile, Reese’s NCAA glory doesn’t turn out to be the only episode causing Shaq some serious discomfort.

Angel Reese roasts Shaquille O’Neal at Caitlin Clark’s expense

The 2024 WNBA drafts made headlines for a number of reasons. While many believed the event introduced perhaps the best rookie class to the professional realm, it sure did provide a fresh leg to the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry. But, the 2023 NCAA Tournament MOP chose to mark the occasion by displaying some off-court sportsmanship towards her NCAA adversary Caitlin Clark. Among the many heartwarming gestures was her inclination towards the ROTY over Shaquille O’Neal in regard to 3-point shooting skills. This became evident when X user posted a video recently showcasing a fun Q&A session featuring Reese.

In the video, the 6 ft 3 forward is asked ‘Who you got winning a three-point contest: a blindfolded Caitlin Clark or a prime Shaquille O’Neal? ” just before the commencement of the drafts. To which Angel Reese replies, “I’m going Caitlin Clark”.

As stinging as this revelation is for Shaquille O’Neal, Reese’s answer doesn’t hide the fact that the 19-year NBA career of the Lakers’ icon comprised only one beyond-the-arc success. However, whether Angel Reese knew about that before answering is still debatable because she did say, “I gotta be realistic here. It don’t matter if she blindfolded or not, she gon’ make it. Trust me. You gotta get in the gym Shaq. You tell me.”

All in good spirits when it comes to Angel Reese and her beloved Uncle Shaq. No matter what they choose to say in front of the whole world, no one would deny that their connection will only grow both as uncle and niece and Reebok stars, even if it includes some healthy and fun snides along the way.