Shaquille O’Neal Stands Up for WNBA Players

Shaquille O’Neal has had enough of the trolling aimed at WNBA players, particularly Angel Reese and Lauren Betts.

In a recent chat on “The Rich Eisen Show,” O’Neal expressed his frustrations to host Susie Shuster. He said, “I wish I could just punch those guys who bully my Angels and Lauren.”

“Enough is enough,” he continued. “The issue is with sports media. You’re letting amateurs in now, and they think they have the same credibility as professionals. It’s all about getting clicks for their pages after they broadcast.”

He elaborated, “So, what do they do? They latch onto hot topics to gain followers. But honestly, it’s just nonsense—just a lot of self-promotion. It’s embarrassing, and sometimes it leads to some heavy bullying. It’s one thing for men to tease each other, but bullying women for likes? That’s unacceptable.”

Both Reese and Betts are under the Reebok Basketball brand, where O’Neal holds the position of president. He has been a longtime supporter of LSU, dating back to his college days.

Reese noted in a conversation with USA Today that O’Neal played a significant role in her life during her college years, describing him as a “father figure.” He backed her during a controversial moment involving superstar Caitlin Clark.

Currently, Reese is averaging 13.1 points and 11 rebounds in her debut season with the Dream, a team she joined following a trade from the Sky.

As for Betts, she has averaged 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in her rookie season. O’Neal praised both players, saying, “They’re having fun, playing great, and are determined to achieve amazing things. I just let them do their thing.”

“They know they can reach out to me if they ever need support.”