The race for WNBA Rookie of the Year is neck-and-neck right now between rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and even Shaquille O'Neal is working his way into the discourse.
On Wednesday's "SportsCenter" with Matt Barrie, the Hall of Famer gave his vote to Reese. One might be prone to call it bias because of their shared LSU connection, but Reese and Clark are locked in a dead heat.
The Sky rookie's stats speak for themselves—Reese is averaging 13.5 points and 12 rebounds a game, and she recently set the record for the most consecutive double-doubles in WNBA history. In almost any other year without Clark in the running, Reese would be the clear front-runner in the competition.
Here's what O'Neal had to say about both Clark and Reese and why he picked the 22-year-old Chicago forward to win the award.
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Why is Shaq picking Angel Reese over Caitlin Clark for WNBA Rookie of the Year?
O'Neal made it clear that it is not just his close relationship with Reese that earned her his endorsement.
"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," he said.
Reese even challenged him when they first met, saying she could outshoot him. O'Neal has been a fan of hers since then, he said, noting that he admires how she steps up and shuts down the doubters with her skills on the court.
That doesn't mean O'Neal isn't a fan of Clark as well. The NBA great praised the Fever phenom for her play and her impact on the game. O'Neal also spoke about WNBA legends and how they deserve recognition for growing women's basketball as well as the star rookie class.
"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 said. "I will never forget a Sheryl Swoopes, a Candace Parker (or) a Lisa Leslie.
"But Caitlin and Angel, because of social media and other media outlets there, really brought the game where it should have been 10 years ago. So I'm really an advocate for women's basketball. They always play hard, their fundamentals are great...but I'm going to give it to Angel Reese right now."
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Shaquille O'Neal-Angel Reese connection, explained
Reese has spoken about how she sees O'Neal as a "father figure" in her life. He even escorted her with her family for her senior day ceremony at LSU earlier this year.
O'Neal, 52, serves as a mentor and friend to the rising star, offering Reese coaching and business advice among words of encouragement.
O'Neal and Reese, who both made their names on the LSU basketball court, first met at a Tigers football game. O'Neal challenged Reese to score a 20-20 double-double, and she responded with 23 points and 26 rebounds against Mississippi State.Their connection beyond basketball. O'Neal cares about her as a person, not just as a player, Reese said — though he has called her "probably the greatest athlete to come out of LSU, male or female," which left her taken aback.
"He’s super inspiring to me," Reese told USA TODAY Sports . "He’s so genuine, he’s been there for me through tough times. He just gets it, and there’s not a more perfect person for me to be tight with. We have fun, and if I need anything, he would help me … and he would do that even if I never played basketball again."
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