Once a Caitlin Clark hater, Shaquille O’Neal confesses admiring Indiana Fever star
Shaquille O'Neal has become a fan of Caitlin Clark after initially being a hater while supporting WNBA protege Angel Reese.
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WNBA star Caitlin Clark's game has made Shaquille O'Neal a fan
The just-concluded WNBA season brought in a plethora of new fans. Fans that tagged along with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese from college. But as they came along, so did the rivalry between the two factions. Among those in the Chicago Sky star’s corner was Shaquille O’Neal, who became a mentor and business partner.
One of their business ventures was to help the rebounding phenom start her podcast ‘Unapologetically Angel.’ He has also helped her become an ambassador for Reebok among other things. But as a mentor and father figure, he also clearly favored her over her rival.
Finally, when he appeared on her podcast, he discussed with Angel Reese how WNBA players should be paid better. When citing an example of what excites fans, he spoke about how Stephen Curry manages to do that in the NBA. After he explained that, he continued to bring Caitlin Clark‘s game into the discussion.
She’s doing stuff we never seen before. I was a hater because you know I’m down with you. She not gonna hit that shot then bam, like Damn! If I say 10 times you not gonna hit the shot and you hit the shot that means you are the truth.
Shaquille O’Neal said on Caitlin Clark’s game
Shaq talking about Caitlin’s game on Angel’s pod.
— correlation (@nosyone4) October 24, 2024
"She's doing stuff we never seen before…I was a hater because you know I'm down with you. She not gonna hit that shot then bam…like if i say 10 times you not gonna hit the shot and you hit the shot that means you the truth." pic.twitter.com/ARegtGyFNx
Shaquille O’Neal said this as he tried to prove what makes fans go berserk when watching Clark play. The fact that she is doing something in the women’s game that he has not seen before, that too consistently, turned him into a fan.
Shaquille O’Neal gives idea to improve excitement in WNBA
Just as Caitlin Clark turned Shaquille O’Neal into a fan, he wants women’s basketball to be exciting. But he was calculative when suggesting that except a handful of players, the college game and the WNBA are not exciting enough to pull the type of fanbase the NBA has. That said, he gave an idea to Angel Reese on how to improve the spectacle.
A pretty girl dunking on a rim, I’m watching that all the time. Just lower (the rim) just a little bit. You dunking with the Shaq emblem with your knees up, you tripping. That’s the only thing missing.
Shaquille O’Neal opined
O’Neal gave the example of volleyball where the women’s game is more popular than the men’s game. Their net heights are also different where the women have their nets nearly 20 centimeters, or slightly less than two inches lower than the men’s.
That has helped them maintain a similar elevation when they go up for smashes. The four-time champion wants women’s basketball to bring down the rim by a few inches. Then it will help more women dunk, which will go a long way in improving the viewership.
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Joseph Varghese
(2393 Articles Published)