Who does Shaquille O’Neal think will be the WNBA Rookie of the Year?

Whether it’s the ratings that we’ve never seen before, the public debate about her ‘warm welcome’ to the WNBA, or those who are simply there for the show, it would be fair to say that the Caitlin Clark craze is in full swing. Yet, if we look past all of the various talking points, has the former Iowa star lived up to the hype? That’s the question.

Shaq backs Angel Reese ahead of Caitlin Clark

If you’ve been following Caitlin Clark’s entrance into the WNBA, then you will know that the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft came into the league alongside her biggest rival in college, Angel Reese, who was selected with the 7th overall pick. Indeed, Clark and Reese took center stage in their final season before the Draft as they went head to head in the championship Game playing for Iowa State and LSU respectively. As you likely know, it was Reese who came out on top, and with that, the rivalry was born.

Now in their maiden campaign, the major question on the mind of WNBA fans has been who will be named 2024 Rookie of the Yea but to hear one NBA legend tell it, there’s no doubt that it’s going to be Reese. Speaking this week, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal - an LSU alum and friend of Reese - weighed in on one of the WNBA’s biggest debates this season. “I’m not just saying this because she went to LSU, I think she’s definitely leading in the Rookie of the Year race,” O’Neal said. “I give the vote to Angel.”

That said, O’Neal is was quick to acknowledge Clark’s obvious skill set before going on to speak directly to the effect that both rookies have had on the league, the Game, and the general interest in women’s basketball as a whole. “Caitlin is a fabulous player, the female Steph Curry,” O’Neal continued. “They have done a lot for the Game. ...Caitlin and Angel, because of social media and all the media outlets, they really brought the Game where it should’ve been 10 years ago.” Where the details are concerned, it’s worth noting that in the 23 Games that she has played, Reese has averaged 13.5 points and 12 rebounds per Game, which is to say a whole lot of double-doubles. Indeed, it’s on the back of those performances that she was even compared to O’Neal after she notched her 16th double-double in her first 22 stars - O’Neal registered 19 in that same time. Is O’Neal correct? We’re not here to say but Angel Reese is certainly making a convincing case.