Two of the biggest names in Louisiana State University basketball were connected together again this weekend. LSU Tigers star Angel Reese celebrated “Senior Day” with other teammates during Sunday’s game at home… our man Shaq was there to help make it happen.
In fact, kinda like a wedding, it was O’Neal that escorted Reese to center court during the halftime ceremonies at the game. Also part of the celebration, Reese’s mother and – of course – several thousand cheering fans. As for the game itself, LSU beat Kentucky, 77-56.
O’Neal joined the rest of Reese’s family in wearing t-shirts that said, “Bayou Barbie is My Favorite Senior.” Check the pics and video below.
The BIG Podcast with SHAQ
If you’ve been reading along here on the ShaqFu Radio blog, you know the big fella and Reese have developed a close bond over the past year or so… dating back to Reese’s big season last year, when she was named the year’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
There was a time when Reese stepped away from the game earlier this year for personal reasons. She’s talked openly about communicating with Shaq to help her get back on track and get priorities straightened out. Earlier this year, she told USA Today that she considers O’Neal not just a mentor, but a “father figure.”
Speaking of the relationship with Shaq, Reese said, “It’s been great. Who’s better than a person like Shaq? He’s really smart, not just on the basketball court, but just in life. He has his doctorate, so he’s educated, being a lot of things outside of basketball. Being able to have somebody like that has been a great inspiration for me. And of course enjoying the moment like this with him and the rest of my family was fun tonight.”
Back in his college days, O’Neal was named the national Player of the Year for his time with LSU. He’s since had his number retired by the Tigers, and there’s a statue of the big man in front of the LSU hoops arena. O’Neal has been effusive in his props for Reese, calling her “probably the greatest athlete to come out of LSU sports … male and female.”
Last April, Reese led LSU to its first basketball national championship title, men’s or women’s. Since then, she’s made a great case to be named SEC Player of the Year this season… she’s averaging 19.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.
As Reese noted, Shaq is not only big on the court, he’s just as big (or bigger!) today in the business world. He’s used that expertise to help Reese in money matters, including her NIL deals (Name, Image, Likeness) that rank among the biggest in college sports. She’s also recently signed endorsement deals with Reebok, where O’Neal is the president of basketball operations.
The only question now is, will Reese play another year, or head out to (perhaps) a WNBA career…or something else? She and fellow senior Hailey Van Lith are both eligible to return to college for a fifth year due to the waiver athletes received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the ceremonies on Sunday, Tigers fans were plenty vocal, shouting “one more year” for both Reese and Van Lith. To the media, both players have said they’re staying focused on the current season and will make their big decisions afterward.
LSU is already locked in for the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament this year. Currently, they’re the Number 2 seed. The Big Dance for the ladies kicks off later this month.
Reese spoke to reporters after the game and ceremonies, striking a philosophical tone: “I want to leave my legacy as somebody that was just unapologetically me,” she said. “Being able to just come in every day, be happy, work hard and do whatever it takes to win. I mean, I feel like I made a lot of sacrifices coming here, not really knowing what it was going to be like and taking a step of faith, and understanding and letting other players know, taking a step of faith is hard but you can do it and look how it changes your life … On and off the court I was able to grow my own person and be who I am, and that’s what I want to leave my legacy as.”