Caitlin Clark forces Angel Reese fan Shaquille O'Neal into surprise U-turn

Shaquille O'Neal has had a change of heart on his view of Caitlin Clark's abilities , despite having close ties with her media rival Angel Reese .

The celebrated basketball star lauded the WNBA's top draft pick following her record-breaking 31 points against Reese and the Sky.

Shaq, a 15-time NBA All-Star, broke his silence on Clark due to his allegiance with Reese , acknowledging he held back until now but couldn't ignore Clark's performance any longer.

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"[Clark] does everything right," O'Neal told Sports Illustrated. "I never spoke about her [before] because Angel is my girl but I can truthfully say Caitlin Clark is for real."

"I'm watching her play, and I'm trying to be upset but she makes the right pass, makes the right play. Girls try to beat her up, but she doesn't really complain," he revealed. "She's a great one, even early on. She's the real deal. Much respect to her and her family the way she grew up and the way she plays. All little girls should watch all the WNBA players play but those two are my favorite."

Shaq has become closely linked with Reese given their shared history as former LSU standouts and as Reebok representatives. O'Neal, notably associated with the Lakers, holds the title of President of Reebok basketball and was instrumental in securing Reese's sponsorship following her collegiate days.

In the midst of the Sky forward's quest to shatter the WNBA's consecutive double-double record, Sue Bird and O'Neal delved into the hot topic of Reese and Clark's undeniable emergence as Rookie of the Year contenders. Shaq, who likened the Sky forward's playing style to his own, was convinced that Reese would bag the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

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"She made the comment the other day that she was born like this, and it's true. Her mentality, the way she plays, no-nonsense, going to say what is on her mind, going to play the way she plays, and I love that about her," Shaq had previously stated.

"Caitlin [Clark] is a fabulous player. The female Steph Curry. They have done a lot for the game, but let's not forget all the people that made the game what it was," he continued. "They always play hard; their fundamentals are great. But I'm going to give it to Angel Reese right now ."

The history between Reese and Clark can be traced back to their college basketball days at LSU and Iowa, specifically during the 2023 NCAA National championship, where a ring gesture from Reese would follow her throughout her college career and into the professional ranks. Since then, both superstars have become intertwined on the court due to their record-breaking achievements and popular online followings.

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