Shaquille O’Neal Makes Bold Promise to ‘Daughter’ Angel Reese After Shutting Down Caitlin Clark Beef

Despite standing 7-foot-1, Shaquille O’Neal remains one of the NBA’s most grounded legends. Yet on a bad day, his size and strength could humble anyone. During his prime, shattered rims and crushed backboards told the story of Shaq’s on-court dominance. He was a ruthless force between those lines, no apologies, no mercy. But off the court, Shaq’s a protector by nature. When he extends that shield to someone, he’ll go to war (on social media) for them. Now, it seems his daughter-like bond with Angel Reese might wake the sleeping giant in him once again.

Shaquille O’Neal has always fiercely protected those inside his circle. But his latest outburst on the Off the Record podcast felt different. This wasn’t typical Shaq banter; it was personal. The NBA Hall of Famer came out swinging, both figuratively and almost literally. His target? Former NFL quarterback and media figure Robert Griffin III (RGIII), who has made repeated social media jabs at Angel Reese.  An eight-year NFL veteran, Robert Griffin III, recently responded to a racist image targeting Angel Reese in NBA 2K26’s WNBA mode. 

While RGIII condemned the offensive post, his follow-up sparked fresh controversy. He claimed a source close to Reese told him she “hates” Caitlin Clark. It’s kind of a reckless assertion that quickly drew online backlash. Many accused him of muddying the conversation and fueling needless tension. That’s when Shaquille O’Neal stepped in to set the record straight on the Off The Record podcast. Asked about the rumored Reese-Clark feud, Shaq didn’t hesitate. He said,  “So what? Yeah. I hated the Clippers. I hated the Celtics. That’s not real hate. We look around what’s going on in this real country. That’s hate. This is sports…Competition. That’s what the world’s built on. Competition.”

Shaq didn’t just check the false “hate” narrative; he exposed the real issue behind the controversy. And he wasn’t finished. O’Neal fired a direct warning at RGIII, making it clear that this crossed a personal line. He said,

“Like you tweeting monkey pictures and retweeting monkey pictures. Now her bodyguard had to step in. Then came the heavy part:  So again, you keep it up. When I see you, we something going to have to go down cuz now you’re messing with my sister and my daughter…So Angel’s like a daughter to me. You disrespect my daughter, Shaq Daddy has to step in.” 

Angel Reese has always held a special place in Shaq’s heart. That message left no room for misunderstanding. For anyone crossing Shaq’s people, nowhere is safe. Angel Reese has become like a daughter to Shaq, and now, the world knows it.

Shaquille O’Neal offers Angel Reese valuable guidance

Shaquille O’Neal’s bond with Angel Reese stretches back to her LSU days, long before she became a WNBA star. Both icons share Tiger roots, and Shaq’s mentorship started early, well before Reese entered the pros. O’Neal even helped leverage his Reebok connection to land Reese her first major endorsement deal ahead of her WNBA debut. But his support hasn’t stopped at business moves.

As Reese navigates early-career highs and relentless social media noise, like the recent racist post, Shaq stays in her corner. During a sit-down with Sports Illustrated’s Claudette Montana last month, O’Neal addressed public misconceptions about Reese. “[She’s] really a nice, beautiful young lady. But in this thing of ours, you have to play a certain way,” Shaq explained.

“A lot of times, if they don’t understand you, they misconceive.” The Los Angeles Lakers legend’s message for Reese stays simple and steady: “Don’t worry about that.” Shaq’s advice cuts deeper than social noise. “Because they don’t really have a voice, they just think they do,” he told SI. It’s classic Shaq, a reminder that outside chatter doesn’t decide a star’s worth.