Shaquille O’Neal isn’t hiding his opinion on LSU star Angel Reese. Following the Tigers’ incredible run to the program’s first-ever college basketball national championship victory, Shaq declared Reese as the school’s greatest-ever athlete.
During a recent episode of his podcast, The Big Podcast with Shaq, the former LSU great boldly proclaimed that he believes Reese is the best athlete to ever come out of the school.
O’Neal ranked her above himself, and even gave her the nod over former Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow, who enjoyed a sensational season in Baton Rouge that saw him win a national title and the Heisman Trophy in 2019.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first. Male and female,” said Shaq. “She delivered. She delivered that package. See, a lot of us got the package, and we still got the package in our truck. She delivered that package.”
Shaq with some high praise for a fellow LSU athlete 👀
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 11, 2023
(via The Big Pod) pic.twitter.com/oR5AmC19rR
“Joe Burrow got it done a couple of years ago, but she’s way more athletic than he is,” added O’Neal.
While Shaq himself could certainly be in the conversation for the best LSU athlete, in his eyes, his failure to secure a championship eliminates him from the discussion.
Reese was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading LSU to the national championship. Across 36 games this season, her first as a Tiger, she averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds per contest. She also set an all-time Division I women’s basketball record with 34 double-doubles in a season.
Despite her having spent just one year in Baton Rouge after transferring from Maryland ahead of the 2022-23 season, Reese has clearly had an impact on the Tiger faithful.
