Fans slammed Shaquille O’Neal’s “perverted” and “creepy” comments toward WNBA star Angel Reese about the “little ass shorts” she recently wore.
During Thursday’s episode of Reese’s “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, the former Los Angeles Lakers star, 52, talked about how the outfit the Chicago Sky star recently wore to a “Wild ‘N Out” event in Chicago earlier this month could help her make money.
“Imagine you in them same little ass shorts you had on at the ‘Wild ‘N Out’ show dunking. You know how many T-shirts you gon’ sell? You trippin’,” he said, referring to the blue shorts Reese wore that exposed the lower half of her buttocks.
“Them same little ass shorts you had on at ‘Wild ‘n Out’ … I’m just saying,” he added.
Reese, 22, immediately seemed uncomfortable with the topic and tried to switch gears.
“OK, all right, all right, all right,” she interjected.
O’Neal’s remarks sparked backlash from fans who claimed he crossed the line with his mentee.
“Shaq sexualizing Angel Reese when he’s 30 years her senior and has kids older than her,” wrote one X user alongside a GIF of Tiffany Haddish gagging.
“angel reese learned a painful lesson about men through shaq in real time, i fear,” added another.
“Shaq is 52 years old and has gotten a free pass for being creepy because he’s an nba legend. Angel Reese looks at Shaq like a father figure mentor type and he’s taking about her in booty shorts lmao,” said a third person.
“I’m glad people are recognizing Shaq’s creepy and perverted behavior. What I don’t like is some people following up with ‘well if Angel dresses like that what does she expect.’ She can dress sexy and still not want to be sexually harassed,” wrote a fourth user.
Page Six has reached out to reps for both O’Neal and Reese but did not immediately hear back.
O’Neal and Reese have maintained a close relationship since she rose to stardom following her transition from LSU to the pros.
Last October, the four-time NBA champ, who is the president of basketball operations at Reebok, signed the DC Power Football Club co-owner to a multi-year name, image and likeness deal with the shoe and clothing brand.
In January, Reese said she looked at O’Neal as a “father figure.”
“He’s super inspiring to me. He’s so genuine, he’s been there for me through tough times. He just gets it, and there’s not a more perfect person for me to be tight with,” she told USA Today at the time.
“We have fun, and if I need anything, he would help me … and he would do that even if I never played basketball again. He doesn’t care about me as a player, he cares about me as a person.”