One chance is all it takes in the NBA. Until a few weeks ago, Julian Reese didn’t have an NBA team. He went undrafted after a four-year stint at Maryland. Reese bounced around teams before finally landing with the Wizards. And in just eight games, the 6’9” forward has showcased a knack for getting rebounds. Tonight, against the Nets, that talent shaped itself into Reese sitting beside Shaquille O’Neal.

The 22-year-old brother of WNBA star Angel Reese scored 17 points to go alongside 16 rebounds. This was Reese’s third double-double in nine games for Washington. With this performance, he officially joined the Big Diesel as the fastest NBA player to reach 100 career rebounds.

His sister showed immense pride. Angel Reese called her younger brother, “Mr. Double Double”.

The Chicago Sky star was the first in the family to match Shaquille O’Neal’s rebounding feat. Notably, she was the first rookie since Shaq to record consecutive games with 20-rebounds. Julian Reese is following in those same footsteps. The undrafted forward has made full use of his opportunity on an injury-riddled Wizards team.

Just in terms of rebounding, Reese already holds three of the top four performances amongst rookies this season. He had a 20-rebound game in just his third game, coming against the Utah Jazz. Likewise, this was a situation that gave Julian Reese an open license to play his game.

This was the chance to show the NBA that he belongs. Reese has displayed enough to be part of an NBA roster going forward. Unfortunately, his epic performance didn’t result in a win for the Washington Wizards. The Nets claimed a 115-121 win. Both teams are out of playoff contention.

Hopefully, Reese’s explosive stint with the Wizards earns him a place on their roster next season.

Shaquille O’Neal will remain in Angel Reese’s corner

WNBA star Angel Reese doesn’t always get her fair share of appreciation. But that’s never a question if Shaquille O’Neal is talking about her. At the core of the relationship is LSU. Reese grew them into national champions, a dream the Big Diesel couldn’t achieve. Since then, he’s spotted a desire within Reese.

Speaking about their relationship, the Sky star said, “Shaq is an important person in my life. He’s like a father figure. He’s just somebody that really cares for me. So, what’s important to him is important to me”.

His confidence in Reese isn’t just with words. Shaq truly believes Angel Reese is a transcendent athlete. He reaffirmed that by making her the first athlete signing in his bid to revive Reebok. Recently, the brand launched her signature shoe. The ‘Angel Reese 1’ sold out within 24 hours. It didn’t come as a surprise to Shaquille O’Neal. He lauded her as “the face of what’s next” with Reebok.

From showering praise on Angel Reese’s dominant season with LSU to making her the catalyst behind Reebok’s revival, Shaq is fully invested in the WNBA star.