Shaquille O'Neal Urges Kelsey Mitchell to Embrace Caitlin Clark Fever Pairing
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is a shrewd businessman and knows the value of maximizing one's earning potential.
Kelsey Mitchell's maximum earning potential is playing alongside Caitlin Clark on the Indiana Fever. And Shaq advised Mitchell to embrace that during an interview with OutKick that was released on Thursday.
"My advice [to Mitchell] is to take advantage of all the eyes that are on her. If the eyes are on one person, and you're next to that person, take advantage of that," O’Neal said.
He then added, "[Mitchell] is a beautiful young lady, and a fabulous young lady. I don't want to speak for her or about her, because that's breaking the athlete code. I wish her well. But my advice, again, if you're playing next to somebody that has eyes, that can bring you extra income, make sure you always stay next to that person."
These comments stem from what Mitchell, who will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, said about playing with Clark during her end-of-season press conference last week.
"Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard. Playing with CC and having the eyes that she got, we get a lot of flak just for being on her team. And I think that comes with a lot, too," Mitchell said.
Shaquille O'Neal Got It Right With Kelsey Mitchell Advice
Shaquille O'Neal spent eight seasons playing alongside Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers. The two couldn't stand each other off the court but were a nearly unstoppable duo on the court, which is why they won three NBA championships together.
Both Shaq and Kobe were stars in their own right. But their pairing elevated both to a level of global superstardom that neither would have reached alone.
Clark and Mitchell differ from Shaq and Kobe in three key ways: They really like each other, they haven't won a championship yet, and Clark is on another stratosphere of stardom. But the first should make the second easier, so long as Mitchell is willing to embrace the third, for better or worse.
Mitchell's free agency will be one of the biggest storylines in women's basketball this offseason, particularly for Fever fans. Clark made it clear how much she wants Mitchell back during her own end-of-season presser, and Indiana's front office has conveyed its intention to re-sign her.
Therefore, the decision will be Mitchell's. And she would be wise to take what Shaq said to heart.
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Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court. He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.
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