The Louisiana State University women’s basketball team triumphed over the Iowa Buckeyes on April 2, 2023 in the NCAA championship. Their win secured LSU its first basketball title in school history. Star player Angel Reese gained nationwide recognition throughout the tournament for her undeniable talent and her use of a popular taunting gesture. Reese’s performance earned praise from LSU basketball alum Shaquille O’Neal.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first,” he said on an April 12 episode of “The Big Podcast.” “Male and female. Ever.” See a clip from the episode below.
Reese, for her part, was flattered by the compliment, but also wasn’t sure just how accurate it was. She spoke about what happened next on “The Breakfast Club” today (April 24).
“I called him after that,” Reese revealed. “I was like, ‘You know how much pressure you just put on me? You know how much?’ He was like ‘I don’t give a f**k.’ I was like, ‘Alright, Unc.'” Watch her joint interview with teammate and rapper Flau’jae below.
Reese went on to explain why she didn’t feel that Shaq‘s coronation was appropriate. “I feel like I haven’t done nothing yet, so I told him, ‘Don’t even say that yet,'” she said. “I won a championship, but I just don’t feel like I’ve done enough. I don’t think I’ve done enough.” She confessed she didn’t even comprehend “how much weight it holds” to win a championship.
Reese was LSU‘s leading scorer and rebounder throughout the 2022-23 season. O’Neal was a two-time All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year, and was awarded with the Adolph Rupp Player of the Year honor during his time at LSU from 1989 to 1992. But he gave Reese the honor of being LSU’s GOAT because she helped the school win a national championship, which he was never able to do during his time there.
Looking toward the future, Reese admitted that Shaq’s comments would make more sense if she continues to lead the team to success. “If I go into year two and I dominate, we dominate, yeah, OK,” she acknowledged of future accolades she may receive. “I feel like another championship and maybe Player of the Year would hold more weight.”