Shaquille O’Neal isn’t exactly known for taking up the ‘mentor’ role, not even in the NBA. However, one exception to that rule is Angel Reese, the young WNBA star. Both have built a mentor-mentee bond. Recently, though, this dynamic hit a sour note when Shaq made some ‘suggestive’ comments about Reese on her podcast “Unapologetically Angel.”

It all started with the two ballers discussing ways to increase WNBA compensation and Shaq suggested lowering the rim so that players could dunk.“The only thing that’s missing is the dunk,” he said. “I’m not saying lower it to 9 feet or anything, just a little bit.” To which the Sky star responded, “Just so we can dunk? No. I hate when men say that.” But the four-time NBA Champion didn’t stop there. 

He mentioned an outfit the Chicago Sky star wore on the comedy show Wild ‘n Out, suggesting that it could serve as a strategy to sell more merchandise. “Imagine you had on the same little shorts you had on at ‘Wild ‘n Out’ show dunking. How many T-shirts you gon’ sell?” he said.

The 22-year-old evidently looked uncomfortable and immediately cut him off, exclaiming, “I’m not imagining anything!” But this didn’t sit well with many, and media veteran Angela Yee shared her own take.

“I think that you got to take these women seriously, and she’s really young. For him to even say that being her mentor… It was a creepy moment and inappropriate,” she said during Wake Up with Angela Yee, expressing her disappointment. “I think that that was just too much. I’m just being honest, I think it wasn’t a cool comment. Because she is a lot younger, I mean, she could be literally his child,” she added. This has stirred up some heated opinions. 

Some fans believed that Shaq’s comment was disrespectful and unnecessary. It came even more of a disappointment considering Shaq sees Reese as no less of a daughter. 

Angel Reese loyalist Shaq rooted against Caitlin Clark

Both LSU alumni share a special bond as mentor and mentee. The Chi-Town Barbie has often called Shaq a “father figure” for how he’s been there for her, both on and off the court. During her time at LSU, especially when she faced challenges with mental health, he was there. She even escorted the 4x champion to escort her on the Senior Day. 

Shaq would later tell VIBE, “She reminds me of one of my babies… if anyone messes with her, she knows to call me.” Meanwhile, the young star describes him as genuine, protective, and truly caring. But this made him a little biased during Reese’s college days. 

Talking about the Indiana Fever star, he admitted on the podcast, “I was a hater.” As a loyal fan of Reese and LSU, he couldn’t help but root against the 2024 ROTY. But deep down, even Shaq knew she was the real deal. “She’s doing stuff we’ve never seen before… I’d say ten times she won’t hit a shot, and she nails it every time!” he added. 

Now, as he has watched her transition to the WNBA, his respect for her skills has grown. And he couldn’t stay a hater for long. Although he still continues to be loyal to Reese, CC never fails to impress him.