Shaq shares the first words he said to protégé Angel Reese after the WNBA draft

Angel Reese will at all times have a friend in Shaquille O’Neal.

According to People MagazineThe father of six and the former LSU player share an in depth bond that goes beyond the proven fact that they attended the same university before joining the skilled basketball league.

“She’s the same age as my kids, so I want what’s best for her,” O’Neal said. “And when you have daughters, you know how to use that calm voice.”

After the Chicago Sky chosen Reese with the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA draft on Monday night, O’Neal said, “The first thing I told her was how proud I was of her.”

Last 12 months, O’Neal became a mentor to Reese, who rose to prominence during LSU’s 2023 March Madness tournament championship. The basketball legend describes himself as “Reese’s understanding ear,” noting that he can find comfort in the advice he gives due to his 19-year profession in the league, which began when the Orlando Magic chosen him as the league’s No. 1 player in the draft NBA from 1992.

“I know what she went through,” he said. “I know what she’s going through, I know what will happen to her, and I could advise her.”

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The retired NBA star stated that “Reese’s game is similar” to his in the sense that “we do it our way” and “we don’t apologize for it.”

“She plays with a certain passion,” O’Neal told People, “and in a lot of cases you can’t really understand it until you understand where the person is coming from.”

O’Neal, a self-described “leader,” said he tries to avoid micromanaging people, so he is careful along with his words and avoids demands when talking to his protégé. But she makes sure she knows he’s happy with her and she will at all times go to him for advice.

“She had to be tough. She’s tough and she translates it on the court,” O’Neal said of Reese, referring to her upbringing in Baltimore, Maryland. “Some people don’t like it and that’s understandable, but she doesn’t apologize for it.”

“I don’t want her to apologize,” he added, according to People magazine. “I want her to stay beautiful, stay classy and continue to make a name for herself and take care of her family.”