Shaquille O’Neal is facing backlash after remarks about Angel Reese, WNBA star and mentee of the NBA icon. On Reese’s podcast, Unapologetically Angel, the 52-year-old former NBA player referenced Reese’s outfit from a recent Wild ‘N Out appearance, making comments that many online felt were inappropriate. O’Neal mentioned Reese in “those same little shorts” and how, hypothetically, the outfit could help her sell merchandise. Reese, visibly uncomfortable, laughed and tried to change the topic, repeating, “Okay. Alright. Alright. Alright.”
The comments came while the two discussed potential rule changes in the WNBA, like lowering the rim to increase dunking. O’Neal’s comments quickly drew negative attention. One post on X (formerly Twitter), which received nearly 100,000 likes, noted, “Angel Reese learned a painful lesson about men through Shaq in real time, I fear.” Another post criticized the comments for “sexualizing Angel Reese when he’s 30 years her senior and has kids older than her.”
Mentor-Mentee Relationship Between Shaquille O’Neal and Angel Reese
Reese has previously described O’Neal as a “father figure” in her life, sharing that he has been supportive through difficult moments, especially during her time playing for LSU. “He’s so genuine, he’s been there for me through tough times,” Reese said earlier this year. “If I need anything, he would help me … even if I never played basketball again.”
O’Neal has also publicly expressed his protective role toward Reese, explaining last month that he sees her as family. “I have four daughters. She reminds me of one of my babies,” he said in an interview. “Coming from where she’s come from, sometimes you need that extra protector.” He added that during a recent controversy, he advised her to “relax” and praised her for handling things “beautifully.”
Despite their close bond, O’Neal’s comments have raised questions about respect and boundaries. Social media users criticized the language O’Neal used, with one comment reading, “I’m glad people are recognizing Shaq’s creepy and perverted behavior.” Others argued Reese’s clothing choices do not justify uncomfortable remarks. As of now, O’Neal has not responded publicly to the criticism.