Angel Reese Shines in WNBA, Earning Shaquille O’Neal’s Admiration

Angel Reese is quickly establishing her impact with the Atlanta Dream, showcasing her talent in the early stages of the WNBA season with an impressive 8-3 record. This comes just two months after her trade from the Chicago Sky. On Tuesday, the two-time All-Star center delivered yet another stellar performance, achieving a double-double by scoring 17 points and pulling down 17 rebounds, along with contributing four assists and two steals. This marked the 57th double-double of her career, allowing her to tie Blake Griffin for the second-most double-doubles in the first 75 games of both the WNBA and NBA.

Reese's accomplishment closely trails that of Shaquille O’Neal, who set the record with 75 double-doubles during his remarkable rookie season in 1992-93. O’Neal, known for his exceptional size and athletic ability, was one of the most highly regarded college prospects of his time.

The relationship between Reese and O’Neal runs deep, with the basketball legend serving as a father figure to her. Both athletes starred at LSU, and O’Neal's recent appointment as president of Reebok Basketball saw him sign Reese as his first endorsement deal. Through this partnership, she has launched her own sneaker line, while O’Neal has also acted as her mentor, defending her against online criticism.

With her latest achievement, Reese is poised to make O’Neal even prouder, as she and the Dream strive for more milestones as the season unfolds.