Shaquille O'Neal Sees Himself in Sky's Angel Reese
Shaquille O’Neal knows he was one of the greatest NBA players of all time. His game wasn’t predicated on finesse, outside shooting, or playing lackadaisically. No, Shaq was all about raw power. If you couldn’t guard him, he asked for the ball. Actually, he demanded it each and every time down the court. He recently compared himself to the Chicago Sky's biggest star.
Considering that he was a four-time champ, three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, two-time scoring champ, and 14-time All-NBA selection, he doesn't appreciate when his fellow bigs are compared to him.
Well, it depends. If your credentials stack up, Shaq was willing to accept you into his brotherhood. The problem, however, is that he doesn't believe many are worthy of that entry. With that said, there’s one player that he sees a lot of himself in.
“Angel Reese reminds me of me,” Shaq said on the Straight Game Podcast.
Although the praise is sure to make her blush, Reese has a lot of work to do if she wants to reach Shaq’s level. She is, nevertheless, off to a good start.
Individually, 2025 has been terrific for Reese. She was named to her second consecutive All-Star game, was the Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, and is currently leading the league in rebounds per game.
But while that’s all well and good, she needs to find a way to drag her team to more wins.
The Sky have struggled in that department. With nearly 40 games under their belt, they're one of just three teams with single-digit victories this year. There’s a chance that could change, but this is the second consecutive year where the Sky haven't come close to making the postseason.
Shaq, outside of his own personal dominance, was known for making deep playoff runs. During his 19-year career, the Hall of Fame big man made 17 playoff appearances, racking up 129 wins against just 87 losses.
For now, Reese should hold her head up high, but if she wants the praise to continue, she’ll need to do more.
“She plays the game the way she does," O'Neal continued. "Doesn’t matter what anyone says. I respect that.”
A graduate of Queens College, Hans has covered practically every sport you can think of. The NBA, NFL, Boxing, UFC, Tennis, MLB, even Rugby! His work has appeared in various places such as Bleacher Report, USA Today, Fox Sports, and FanSided. When he isn’t reporting or writing on sports, he’s watching it. He also enjoys boxing, lifting weights at the gym, and debating anything sports-related.