Shaquille O’Neal Has 7-Word Reaction to Major Caitlin Clark Milestone

Because of his close relationship with Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, it may have taken NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal a little bit longer to warm up to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

Most fans (and several media pundits) spent the better part of the 2024 WNBA season pitting Reese and Clark against each other as they competed head-to-head for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, ultimately won by Clark, and they stoked the fires of a rivalry both players downplayed as having any merit.

So it wasn’t until September, with the WNBA regular season approaching an end, that O’Neal had a change of heart and gave Clark glowing reviews in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

“[Clark] does everything right,” O’Neal stated at the time. “I never spoke about her (before) because Angel is my girl but I can truthfully say Caitlin Clark is for real. I’m watching her play and I'm trying to be upset but she makes the right pass, makes the right play.

“Girls try to beat her up and she doesn’t really complain. She’s a great one, even early on. She’s the real deal. Much respect to her and her family and the way she grew up and the way she plays.”

Reese’s rookie season fizzled out after she suffered a wrist injury that ended her year early and Clark’s star was on the rise even more as she ran away with the ROTY award.

Clark built quite the resume in her first season as a pro, which culminated with her being named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press and Time Magazine’s 2024 Athlete of the Year.

During a recent interview with TMZ, O’Neal was asked about Clark receiving such a high honor from Time Magazine, to which he gave a slight nod of approval.

“Congratulations to her; she's a fabulous player” O’Neal said.