Shaquille O’Neal is the first to praise Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese and all her accomplishments. The Hall of Famer and former LSU great built a bond so close with Reese she’s said he’s a father figure in her life.

But O’Neal, one of the greatest to play in the NBA, admitted something about the player many have deemed Reese’s No. 1 rival: Caitlin Clark, O’Neal said, is “the real deal.”

Caitlin Clark just finished up her outstanding debut season as the WNBA’s No. 1 overall pick, shattering countless league records en route to her near-unanimous Rookie of the Year selection.

Clark averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game as an All-Star point guard for the Indiana Fever. She’s the new all-time league leader in single-season and single-game assists, and the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double.

Clark’s greatness is already undeniable, even for those who were initially hesitant about the hype.

All-time great NBA center Shaquille O’Neal recently sat down with Chicago Sky All-Star Angel Reese as a guest on the “Unapologetically Angel” podcast.

Early in the episode, Shaq and Reese discussed what makes Clark so special as an unprecedented WNBA talent.

“She’s doing stuff we’ve never seen before,” O’Neal said. “We’ve never seen anybody do it on a consistent basis. There’s a lot of girls in the WNBA that have done it in spurts, but that game I’m watching ya’ll (LSU vs. Iowa) in the Final Four, I’m like ‘Damn.’”

“And I was a hater, because you know I went to LSU” O’Neal admitted. “I was like ‘She’s not going to hit that shot.’ And bam! She’s not going to hit that shot. Bam!

“If I say ‘You’re not going to hit that shot’ 10 times and you hit the shot, that means you’re the truth.”

“These days, I’ve heard a lot of criticism about Caitlin’s low averages. The girl didn’t say anything, just went out and silenced everyone with her game. That’s how great people talk with their game, not with words.”

Clark will take the WNBA court for her second professional season with the Fever in 2025.

It’s not surprising that corporations are lining up like fans along arena railings to get Caitlin Clark’s autograph. The former Iowa star is a transcendent talent who has proven she is as proficient at breaking viewership records as scoring marks, drawing capacity crowds at home and on the road and even attracting 17,000 spectators to an open practice during Final Four weekend. Her WNBA jersey sold out within hours of her being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever, and multiple teams have moved upcoming games to larger venues to accommodate “unprecedented demand” for Fever games.

So, it makes perfect sense that she has been hired to pitch everything from home and auto insurance to performance drinks, from trading cards to supermarket chains, from automobiles to financial investment firms. She’s not only deserving of every opportunity but also has earned every endorsement deal that’s been placed before her, including a $28 million Nike pact that includes her own signature shoe line, as reported by The Athletic.