The Chicago Sky’s 2025 WNBA season has gotten off to a slow start as the team sits at 2-4. Angel Reese, who is the face of the franchise, arguably receives the most criticism in the league, but a Lakers legend revealed wisdom he shared with her.
Lakers Legend Shaquille O’Neal, who is the president of Reebok Basketball and a mentor to the Chicago star, revealed some of the wisdom he shared with Reese in his Sports Illustrated interview with Claudette Montana.
“She’s really a nice, beautiful young lady,” said O’Neal. “But when you’re in this sport of ours, you have to play a certain way, and you have to be a certain way.”
The Misconception of Reese
Reese began her collegiate career at Maryland and played two seasons under Brenda Frese. However, she would transfer to LSU for the 2022-23 season, which led to a championship match-up against Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
Since the 2023 national championship game, Clark and Reese were deemed rivals. Critics have made their destain for the Sky forward known. Whether it was due to the hand gesture she made at Clark in the championship game, her competitive trash talk, or her unshaken level of confidence.
After their first matchup this season, on May 17, which featured a hard foul committed by Clark on Reese, the WNBA launched an investigation into an Indiana Fever fan for alleged racial comments toward Reese. On May 27, the league concluded that they were unable to verify any ‘hateful fan comments’ toward Reese.
Shortly after critics began to rain down on the Baltimore native. Indiana Senator. Jim Banks, took to X (formally Twitter) on May 27 to demand an apology from Reese.
LSU Connection
Recently, Reebok announced the extension of Reese’s contract and that they will launch her signature shoe. Moreover, O’Neal continued to explain the advice he gave to the WNBA star amid the criticism she is receiving in his interview with Sports Illustrated.
“A lot of times, if they, if they don’t understand who you are, they misconceive,” said O’Neal. “But I tell her all the time, ‘ Don’t worry about.”
“She just needs to continue to play her game, better her game, and don’t worry about the nonsense.”
“I tell her all the time; ‘Don’t be looking at those comments.” “Because they don’t really have a voice, they just think they do,” said Shaq.
The former LSU star is projected to have the highest following on Instagram in the WNBA. Needless to say, avoiding the comments may be difficult.
WNBA 2025 Adjustments
First-year, Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh is challenging Reese to expand her game. This season, she has been bringing the ball up the floor more, starting the offense, and taking more shots.
On the flip side, the 6-foot-3 forward is experiencing growing pains with her new responsibilities. She is slightly under her points and rebounding averages from her rookie campaign.
Reese is averaging ten points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. With the additions of Ariel Atkins, Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, and Courtney Vandersloot, it will take time for the second-year player to adjust.
Nonetheless, Chicago will get its’ rematch against the Clark-less Fever at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time on June 7 at home.
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