NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal has heard enough of the Angel Reese hate.
The four-time NBA champion is so fed up with the criticism directed at the Atlanta Dream star. So much so that O’Neal is openly considering physical consequences.
Reese has become a force of nature on and off the court since entering the WNBA. Her meteoric rise has also made her a lightning rod for public scrutiny. O'Neal has watched from the sidelines long enough.
Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show," O'Neal turned serious when addressing what he believes is unfair criticism of Reese.
"I wish I could punch some of these guys in the face for picking on my Angel and my Lauren [Betts], but I have to be professional," he said.
"... The problem with your profession now is that you're letting amateurs come in, and amateurs think they have the same rights that you guys have."
The bond between O'Neal and Reese runs deep. Both are LSU alumni, and O'Neal has been in Reese's corner since her college days with the Tigers.
One of his first moves as president of Reebok's basketball division was signing her. That partnership led to Reese's first signature shoe.
After his playing days, O'Neal transitioned to traditional media, carving out a long career as a broadcaster and analyst.
The Hall of Famer places the blame for Reese's treatment squarely on new media and online content culture.
"You're letting all these guys come in, and they just say stuff off the wall and keep doing it," O'Neal continued. "A lot of guys, when they get off air, want to grow their own pages. So what do they do? They take a hot topic and promote it on their page to get their followers up."
Reese is in her first season with the Dream after being traded from the Chicago Sky this offseason. Through six games, she is averaging 12.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for the 4-2 Dream.
O'Neal acknowledges that professional athletes are fair game for criticism, especially when results fall short. But he draws a hard line when pundits cross into personal attacks, particularly against female athletes.
"It's just a lot of nonsense, a lot of embarrassment, and a lot of bullying sometimes," O'Neal concluded. "Guys bullying guys is one thing, but I can't let you just bully women so you can get likes."
