Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are main the way in which within the race for WNBA rookie of the 12 months this season and Shaq has admitted that it’s onerous to separate the pair proper now.
Shaquille O’Neal Praises Caitlin Clark
Legendary Lakers middle Shaquille O’Neal has actually had his say on the WNBA rookie of the 12 months award this season and this week he on the facet of Caitlin Clark.
‘Shaq’ has been harsh in his criticism of Clark in her debut WNBA marketing campaign regardless of her sensational season up to now, saying that the Indiana Fever star isn’t that spectacular.
The NBA veteran insisted that regardless of Clark’s good 12 months, loads of different ladies within the WNBA have achieved comparable feats to the rookie and haven’t been given their flowers.
Shaq says nobody is hating on Caitlin Clark and that she wants to attend her flip
“I perceive what everyone’s doing. Yeah you’re nice, however you ain’t that nice but. Settle down. We nonetheless obtained Diana Taurasi, we nonetheless obtained A’ja Wilson, in the event you’re gonna give (Caitlin) props ensure that… pic.twitter.com/o0nqkNFfiZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 11, 2024
However this week Shaq was on Clark’s facet, as he appears to have lastly come spherical to the truth that the 22-year-old would possibly simply be nearly as good as everybody says she is.
“Once I see stuff on TV I’m like, OK, I’d prefer to see it in particular person. Effectively, I noticed it in particular person,” the TNT presenter mentioned. “She will be able to play … from a basketball standpoint, she makes all the proper performs, will get everyone concerned, and he or she has that Steph Curry vary.”
Clark is averaging 19.2 factors, 8.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds per recreation in her first season for the Fever and he or she has damaged some fairly outstanding information in her debut season.
Though she has damaged numerous information in her first 12 months, essentially the most spectacular must be Clark recording the primary triple-double by a rookie in WNBA historical past and first triple-double in Fever historical past (she now has two this season).
A Shut Rookie MVP Race Between Clark & Reese
Regardless of her dominance within the league, Clark doesn’t have a transparent run on the WNBA rookie of the 12 months award, with Angel Reese shut behind the Fever famous person.
Whereas he has been harsh on Clark this 12 months, O’Neal has praised Reese to no finish in her debut season and he admitted the rookie of the 12 months title might be a detailed race this 12 months.
“What makes it good for the sport is it’ll be these two eternally,” he mentioned. “You may make little video games of it. In school, Angel’s up one (nationwide championship win). Now you possibly can say, OK Caitlin’s within the playoffs, is Angel going to make the playoffs? Little video games you can play that maintain their names going. I’m pleased for each of them, I’m pleased for girls’s sports activities.”
With Clark making the playoffs with Indiana and Reese ending her marketing campaign early by means of damage, absolutely there is just one winner within the rookie of the 12 months class…
