Shaquille O'Neal has never been one to bite his tongue, and this time he's taking aim at the critics targeting WNBA star Angel Reese. The Hall of Fame center didn't hold back during a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, expressing his frustration with the relentless negativity directed at Reese and fellow rookie Lauren Betts.
“I could punch some of these guys in their face that just pick on my Angel and pick on my Lauren,” O'Neal said, via the New York Post. “Because enough is enough.”
O'Neal, who has been a vocal supporter of Reese since her LSU days, believes that sports media has become a breeding ground for amateur critics looking to go viral at the expense of female athletes. He called out the trend of broadcasters using hot topics to boost their own profiles, often resorting to bullying tactics.
“The problem with [sports media] now is you’re letting amateurs come in, and the amateurs think they have the same rights as you guys have,” O'Neal said. “A lot of guys when they get off air, they want people to go to their page. So what do they do to go to their page? They’ll take a hot topic and promote it on their page to get their followers up, but you know it’s just a lot of nonsense, and just a lot of [it is] embarrassing, and a lot of bullying sometimes. Guys bullying guys is fine, but I can’t let you just bully females just so you can get likes.”
The four-time NBA champion's comments come at a time when Reese is thriving on the court. This Tuesday, she notched a double-double in the Atlanta Dream's 91-75 victory over the Connecticut Sun, while also surpassing 1,000 career points. The milestone silenced some of her harshest critics, at least for the moment.
Reese's rise hasn't been without comparisons to other stars, including Caitlin Clark. While Clark has faced her own share of scrutiny, Reese has often been the target of harsher criticism. O'Neal's defense underscores a broader conversation about how WNBA stars are treated differently by fans and media alike.
O'Neal's frustration also echoes a sentiment shared by other sports figures who have called out the media's double standards. For instance, Ben Stiller recently took a Fox Sports host to task for similar reasons, highlighting a growing backlash against inflammatory commentary.
The Dream's next challenge comes Thursday against the Indiana Fever, led by Clark. It's a matchup that pits two of the WNBA's most talked-about rookies against each other, and O'Neal will undoubtedly be watching closely.
For Reese, the best revenge is her performance. With 1,000 career points already in the books and a team that's finding its groove, she's proving that on-court success speaks louder than any critic's keyboard. And with Shaq in her corner, she's got one of the biggest voices in sports history backing her up.
O'Neal's message is clear: lay off the WNBA's rising stars, or face his wrath. It's a warning that critics might want to take seriously, because when Shaq says he wants to punch someone, he's not joking.
