When it comes to LSU’s all-time greats, they may be none bigger than Hall of Fame basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. And not just literally.
The charismatic 7-footer is a four-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and if that’s not enough, he’s got a prominent place nowadays at TNT analyzing the game during their NBA coverage.
When Shaq talks, people listen. And he says the Tigers have a new star who might be the best to ever come out of Baton Rouge: women’s hoops phenom Angel Reese.
“She’s probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU sports. You heard it here first,” he said in The Big Pod. “Male and female. Ever.”
When asked if he thought she was even higher on LSU’s all-time list than him, he quickly and unequivocally said, “Yes.”
“See, a lot of us got the package, and we still got the package in our truck. She delivered that package,” O'Neal said of Reese bringing LSU a national championship. “It’s a lot of names to throw around, men and women, but she is probably the greatest athlete. Some people are going to exclude it to ‘woman athletes.’ I'm not doing that.”
As the old saying goes, the ring’s the thing. And Reese’s national title at LSU is the school’s first in basketball, period – men or women. So in that respect, Bayou Barbie certainly did something that past Tiger greats, including Shaq, never could.
But how does she match up with other past champions? O’Neal said she’s still on top.
“Joe Burrow got it done a couple of years ago, but she is way more athletic than he is,” O'Neal said.
With at least one more year left at LSU, Reese could certainly cement her legacy even further next season.
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