Shaquille O’Neal Wants to Punch Angel Reese’s Critics Who Create Fake Narratives For Clicks

Angel Reese is on her second WNBA team and has already won more games than she did in the opening month of either of her two previous seasons with the Chicago Sky.

Sure, the Atlanta Dream are stacked from top to bottom, and the 24-year-old’s arrival has elevated them to become surefire championship contenders.

But despite that, what most critics look for is whether the Maryland native has improved in her ability as a basketball player after three full offseasons of developmental time.

After one of her preseason games, those critics came out in droves to question whether the 6’3″ forward had spent any time improving her game.

They pointed at her airballs, how she chucks the ball towards the basket, and continues to fight for a layup even though defenders are crowding around her, leaving her teammates open.

Since that game, critics have not had a chance to continue those narratives, as Reese has been fairly decent. But according to Shaquille O’Neal, he would want to punch them for their intent to malign her.

I wish I could punch some of these guys in their faces who pick on my Angel… I have to be professional.

Shaquille O’Neal said

The Hall of Famer pointed out to Suzy Shuster of the Rich Eisen Show how ‘amateurs’ are creating these narratives to gain likes and follows.

Shaq was asked about Angel Reese’s fit with the Dream and called out “amateurs” with no credentials who crap on Angel to gain followers

“I wish I could punch some of these guys who pick on my Angel… It’s just a lot of nonsense.”

I can think of several people this applies to… pic.twitter.com/F7Skp5Q1vv

— Grant Young (@GrvntYoung) May 28, 2026

He believes that this is unbecoming and undermines traditional media. The Diesel mentioned that it was fine for guys to bully guys. But when those guys try to gain traction by bullying women, it bothers him.

Shaquille O’Neal does not want to ‘micro-manage’ Angel Reese

When Suzy Shuster asked Shaquille O’Neal about how he is mentoring Angel Reese and rookie Lauren Betts, the four-time NBA champion first talked about how he has become more hands-off than before.

I just stay out of their way. They have my number. They know if they need me, they can call me. Another role of being a mentor is not to micro-manage. Sometimes you just have to let people figure it out on their own.

Shaquille O’Neal said

The 54-year-old detailed how, when it was his time in the league, he did not have anyone to lean on and get advice. From that, he learned that athletes have to figure it out on their own.

But he is there for both Angel Reese and Lauren Betts whenever they ask for his advice. However, until they do so, he prefers to be more hands-off.

O’Neal helped the Atlanta Dream forward build her brand, and also has her podcast under his production house. He even helped her go viral, even though it drew some backlash.

But nowadays, he wants them to do things their way and only call him when they need his input. That is how he believes a mentor should be.

Angel Reese is performing well for Dream despite drop in numbers

In her first two seasons, Angel Reese became synonymous with rebounds and double-doubles. She has records to her name, and that is why fans want her to continue setting new standards with her elite abilities.

This season, though, her numbers have dwindled. She is scoring less per game and grabs fewer rebounds, even though she is playing as their starting big.

With Brionna Jones out with a knee injury, Reese’s fans expected her to dominate the interior. But the Dream’s style of play does not allow her to clog the paint as much as she did with the Chicago Sky.

However, what matters is winning. They are 4-2, which places them third in the league. If they can manage to continue at this pace, their two-time All-Star’s numbers would not matter as much as the end-of-season record.

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