Shaquille O'Neal Refuses To Credit Caitlin Clark And Angel Reese For New WNBA

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal recently joined Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, where he discussed his feelings on the rise of the WNBA.

Roberts, a former ESPN broadcaster who is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, thanked O'Neal for his continued support of the league. She then asked O'Neal his opinion on what we are currently experiencing surrounding the league's growth.

While O'Neal shared high praise for WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, he was not ready to fully credit the two for the league's massive spike in popularity.

"The crazy thing is we've always experienced it," O'Neal said. "It's just that they weren't getting a lot of coverage, but now, because of social media and, of course, because of TV, they get a lot of coverage."

O'Neal and Reese have been known to share a tight bond, given their connection to the LSU Tigers. The former NBA superstar has been following Reese throughout the season, showing support along the way.

Many fans believe Clark and Reese are the players solely responsible for the WNBA's growth. They're both competing for the league's Rookie of the Year award, as Clark has averaged 16.8 points and 7.8 assists per game, and Reese has shown clear dominance on the glass, posting 13.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.

As O'Neal was discussing the league's growth, highlights of Clark appeared on the screen, prompting him to comment on the Fever guard and, in turn, the Sky forward.

"This young lady right here, Caitlin [Clark], and my young lady Angel Reese have definitely added to that," O'Neal added.

O'Neal then looked back on the history of the WNBA, which was founded in 1996, and credited the greats who came before the 2024 rookie class.

"We can go back to Lisa Leslie, Cheryl Swoopes, and yourself [Robin Roberts]," O'Neal said. "Women have always played the game a little bit better and more fundamental than the guys have. But you're just now starting to get credit."

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