Shaq Disagrees With Chuck Saying Vets Hate On Caitlin Clark
The dominant subject within the WNBA this season has been the arrival and play of Caitlin Clark, and her budding on-court rivalry with fellow rookie Angel Reese. The 2 have been competing since highschool and met in back-to-back years within the NCAA Match, with Reese’s LSU Tigers beating Iowa for a nationwide title in 2023 and Clark’s Hawkeyes getting revenge within the Elite Eight this yr. Now within the WNBA on the Fever and Sky respectively, their video games have persistently damaged WNBA viewership data on numerous networks.
Nevertheless, the dialog concerning the two younger stars has gotten out of hand, as they’ve change into proxies in tradition struggle arguments past the world of basketball. It’s seemingly not possible for anybody to have a comparatively tame thought on Clark and Reese, however Shaq lastly supplied an inexpensive tackle the 2 younger stars. Shaq is extraordinarily shut with Reese, as he’s been a longtime supporter as a fellow LSU alum, with his manufacturing firm launching Reese’s new podcast and in addition enjoying a job in her being with Reebok. Regardless of that, Shaq has been extremely impressed by Clark, calling her the “actual deal” after watching a current Fever-Sky recreation from courtside, and thinks the 2 are destined for greatness.
When requested about his Contained in the NBA colleague Charles Barkley‘s feedback on different WNBA gamers being petty and hating on Clark on USA As we speak’s “Sports activities Critically”, Shaq defined that it’s all a part of the method for any younger star that’s breaking into a brand new skilled league — and, after all, getting a jab in at Barkley.
“There’s envious jealousy, there’s skilled jealousy,” O’Neal stated. “Certain there’s lots of people who’re professionally jealous. I’m. I’m professionally jealous of lots of people. I’m professionally jealous of Steph (Curry), he makes $60 million. However hey, that’s life. You gotta additionally perceive that we’re not simply going to present it to you as a result of everyone else is giving it to you. You continue to gotta earn it. Chuck needed to undergo that, I needed to undergo that, so I perceive what everyone’s doing. Yeah you’re nice, however you ain’t that nice but. Settle down. We nonetheless received Diana Taurasi, we nonetheless received A’ja Wilson, for those who’re gonna give (Caitlin) props be certain our ladies which can be dominating on this league get the identical props.”
“Loudmouths like Chuck are speaking about hating — it’s not hating,” O’Neal stated. “It’s like, you’re good however let’s sluggish it down a notch. Pretty much as good as Caitlin Clark is, we’ve had numerous younger women who’ve been doing good (earlier than) and never getting props. Folks like props they usually need to really feel good if you’re speaking about (their league) … it’s not hating. Everyone has to attend their flip.”
It’s a refreshingly regular take from Shaq relating to Clark, and we’ve already seen how Clark is steadily incomes that respect from the established stars by acting on the courtroom — which is the way it goes in each professional sports activities league. It’s additionally a bit humorous for him to speak about being “professionally jealous” of NBA guys that make a ton of cash, days after his newest spat with Rudy Gobert.
