Shaquille O'Neal is one of the best NBA players of all time. Among his many accomplishments, O'Neal was a 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA member, MVP, and four-time NBA Finals champion, with three of those victories resulting in his winning the Finals MVP.
Over in the WNBA, Candace Parker wrapped up one of the greatest careers that the league ever had when she retired in April. O'Neal quickly praised her when she retired, and he recently explained why he admired her so much.
Shaq gives Candace her flowers
Like the legendary center, Parker racked up a laundry list of accolades throughout her career. She immediately won MVP as a rookie in 2008 before adding seven All-Star selections, ten All-NBA honors, another MVP award in 2013, and three championships to her name.
Greatness always seems to recognize greatness in the world of sports, and Parker's retirement in late April shocked the basketball world. O'Neal made sure to give the WNBA legend her due praise, though, and he explained his fandom of Candice shortly after she called it a career.
"She is a beautiful person inside and out," O'Neal said on Point Game. "So humble, loves the game. She's like us, she talks that talk, she walks that walk, and she plays with that tenacity. Beautiful girl, just played so hard, she wanted to be the best…Candace has been a beast since day one."
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O'Neal and Parker are both legends of the game
It's awesome to see Shaq giving the WNBA legend her flowers, as Candice certainly earned them throughout the course of her career. After being selected with the first overall pick of the 2008 Draft, she entered the league and immediately lived up to the hype.
O'Neal knows what it's like to be in Parker's shoes because he did the same. After being selected with the first overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft, Shaq was immediately one of the most dominant players in the game.
Everyone loves to see these athletes beefing with each other, but it's even better when they give each other praise. O'Neal and Parker have been friendly for quite some time, so seeing him react this way when she called it a career wasn't surprising.
Right now, the main difference between the two is that Shaq is a Hall of Famer, while the two-time WNBA MVP isn't, but she will eventually find her way in. For now, fans are still marveling over her career, and it seems like O'Neal is in the same boat as every other basketball fan when it comes to Parker.
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