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The WNBA has been following a exceptional upward trajectory because the begin of this season. Just lately, this has prompted Shaquille O’Neal to level out the explanation behind the league’s elevated international visibility. Whereas doing so, the 52-year-old endorsed the contributions of the rookie, Angel Reese, garnering the basketball world’s consideration.
Shaq took to Instagram to stipulate his ideas. Sharing a publish from his story, the 4x champion highlighted Reese’s affect within the WNBA. Shortly after, an NBA fan put the limelight on his endeavors on X (previously Twitter), sparking discussions in every single place.
The preliminary publish circled Baller Alert’s article on how the 2024 rookie class reworked the league. It lauded the inclusion of Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Cameron Brink within the WNBA whereas emphasizing their presence in disrupting the neighborhood.
The publish additionally highlighted the historic TV rankings and viewership since these children arrived. As an illustration, the league skilled a 156% progress in attendance in Might in comparison with the earlier season. Practically 400,000 followers attended WNBA video games in particular person, marking the best attendance numbers since 1998. Moreover, TV viewership has tripled in latest months.
A lot of this has been right down to the rivalry between Clark and Reese. Since locking horns within the 2023 NCAA Ladies’s Basketball Closing, the duo contributed closely to modifying the school circuit. They’ve carried this affect into the WNBA, contributing to the altering instances within the league.
That’s why Shaq’s newest actions stay comprehensible. On the identical time, it once more introduced ahead the closeness between the 2000 MVP and the Chicago Sky rookie. The previous has been somebody Reese appears as much as, they usually have grown shut since her NCAA Nationwide Championship triumph. Final 12 months, for instance, he even referred to as the 22-year-old “most likely the best athlete to return out of LSU sports activities”.
So, O’Neal’s phrases additional strengthened his bond with Reese whereas validating one in all her latest declarations.
Angel Reese most likely wanted this help
Earlier this month, Reese raised eyebrows in every single place together with her ambiguous declare. The Sky rookie identified her affect in reworking the WNBA whereas highlighting the lasting affect of the 2023 NCAA Closing. Expressing her viewpoint, she publicly declared,
“It began from the nationwide championship recreation…Persons are talkin’ about ladies’s basketball that you’d by no means assume to speak about ladies’s basketball. Persons are pulling as much as video games. We acquired celebrities coming to video games, sold-out arenas, simply due to one single recreation…It’s not simply due to one particular person. It’s due to me too and I would like you to comprehend that”.
Shaq’s actions added quantity to Reese’s assertion. Nevertheless, the WNBA fanbase hasn’t made peace with this declare but. So, Reese should put her head down and work on her craft to again her phrases with actions in the long term.
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