Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal stated that the on-court treatment of WNBA star Caitlin Clark, characterized by hard fouls and perceived "professional jealousy," is a normal part of a player's career progression. O'Neal described this as a "rite of passage" in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
"There's girls that are going 'You don't talk about me like that, you talk about her.' You have to go at who they think the best is," O'Neal explained. "If you got other people coming at her, then it is what it is. Once she gets through this next year and keeps playing the way she's playing, they’ll have no choice but to love and accept it."
He added, "But this is what we call rites of passage. We don’t just let youngsters come in and take over because they’re getting all the props from the media. Caitlin's a tough cookie. She'll be able to get over it. Angel's throwing 'bows, talking smack, letting everyone know 'I'm not scared.' Caitlin's probably gotta do a little more of that."
O'Neal also weighed in on a recent WNBA controversy involving a deleted social media post featuring Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers. The players recorded a video wagering on a game between their teams, which violates the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement regarding gambling. A WNBA spokesperson called the post "lighthearted" but acknowledged it "simply missed the mark."
O'Neal, however, viewed the wager differently, referring to it as a "homeboy bet." "If it falls under gambling, it would be under the misdemeanor section; people need to stop it. She's not f—ing point shaving," he told Fox News Digital.
Clark herself has called for the WNBA to improve player protection on and off the court. The league has faced scrutiny since Clark's entry, with some commentators attributing the intense physicality she has encountered to jealousy from her peers.
