NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is facing backlash from fans after making a series of sexist comments on an episode of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese’s podcast, “Unapologetically Angel.”
On the eighth episode of the podcast, which has included guests such as Sheryl Swoopes and Dwyane Wade, O’Neal returned to a tired line of calling for the WNBA to lower the basket to encourage dunking — and repeatedly said the league should sexualize players by requiring them to wear more revealing uniforms.
“Imagine you in the same little shorts you had on at the ‘Wild ‘n Out’ show, dunking,” O’Neal said. “You know how many T-shirts you’re going to sell?”
Reese rolled her eyes before shutting down the conversation, repeating, “All right,” and refusing to engage with O’Neal until he changed topics. But the brief exchange highlighted the unwanted sexualization that has followed Reese — and many other WNBA players — throughout her career.
O’Neal has been an important mentor to Reese since she was in college. He walked her onto the court on LSU’s senior night, a role typically reserved for a father figure. He is also functionally her boss, both as the president of Reebok Basketball — for which Reese is the face of the line and set to launch a signature shoe in 2025 — and as a founder of The Big Podcast Network, which circulates Reese’s podcast.
The exchange was only a brief segment of the hourlong episode, in which O’Neal offered advice to Reese on her professional development, discussed his personal life and talked through future developments at Reebok.
Windy City Bulls announce camp roster
Familiar faces populated the Windy City Bulls training camp roster, which was released Monday.
Former DePaul standout Javon Freeman-Liberty and recent Illinois player Marcus Domask made the 14-man roster, which will be whittled to 10 by Nov. 7, when the G League season begins. Chicago Bulls two-way players DJ Steward, Adama Sanogo and E.J. Liddell do not count toward the roster cap.
After a previous stint with Windy City in 2022-23, Freeman-Liberty made a strong impression during the 2023 summer league, ultimately earning a two-way spot with the Toronto Raptors. He made only six appearances for the Raptors before being waived in July.
Domask played for the Bulls in this year’s summer league but did not earn one of the final two-way spots. He helped lead Illinois to the Elite Eight earlier this year as a fifth-year senior, earning Big Ten Newcomer of the Year honors after transferring from Southern Illinois.
Others with local connections on the Windy City camp roster are Steward, who played at Fenwick and Young; Liddell, a two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball at Belleville West; former Bulls guard Ryan Arcidiacono; Ben Coupet Jr. (Simeon and Southern Illinois); Lacey James (Northern Illinois); and Scottie Lindsey (Fenwick and Northwestern).
Illinois blown out in charity game
Preseason charity exhibitions shouldn’t necessarily be used as a weather gauge for the upcoming season, but the Illinois men received a slight wakeup call in a 91-74 loss to No. 24 Ole Miss on Sunday in Oxford, Miss. Proceeds benefited the Court Appointed Special Advocates of North Mississippi.
Defense has been a concern for the Illini — a reality coach Brad Underwood hasn’t shied away from.
“Defensively, right now a seventh-grade middle school team might hang 100 on us,” Underwood said this month during Big Ten media days in Rosemont. “We stink. And we foul too much.”
Those concerns bubbled up during the loss to the Rebels. Illinois played 10 new players, including Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn came off the bench to go 3-for-6 behind the arc, leading the Illini with 15 points.
But no amount of scoring will be able to protect the Illini from a weak defensive effort this season. Illinois already ranked at the bottom of the Big Ten last season, allowing 73.3 points per game, and could be on track for a repeat performance.
NBA Cup courts revealed
The NBA unveiled updated court designs for the NBA Cup, the in-season tournament that will begin Nov. 12.
This year’s United Center court for the Bulls will feature an all-black border and a return of the red hardwood, although toned down slightly in a darker gradient. A Bulls logo atop the NBA Cup trophy emblazons center court.
a minute slay imo pic.twitter.com/dbyCOt3hZ9
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) October 24, 2024
Number of the week: 25
The Bulls matched a franchise record in Monday’s comeback win over the Memphis Grizzlies by making 25 shots from 3-point range.
That reflects a new focus on long-range shooting set by coach Billy Donovan. Three of the six highest-volume 3-point shooting games in franchise history have taken place this season: 53 attempts against the Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder (tied for first) and 47 against the Milwaukee Bucks (sixth).
The Bulls averaged 46.8 attempts behind the arc in the first four games — the third-most in the league. And their shot quality hasn’t dropped despite the astronomic increase in attempts. They rank sixth in 3-point percentage (38%) and third in makes (17.8 per game).
Week ahead: Bulls
- Wednesday: vs. Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. (CHSN)
- Friday: at Brooklyn Nets, 6:30 p.m. (CHSN)
- Monday: vs. Utah Jazz, 7:30 p.m. (CHSN)
What we’re reading this morning
- Should the Sky hire Curt Miller or Stephanie White? Here are 5 options for their coaching job.
- 6 takeaways from the Bulls’ 126-123 win, including a 20-point comeback and franchise high in 3-pointers
- Patrick Williams still is seeking an NBA identity in Year 5. Can he keep up with the Bulls’ faster pace?
- Column: Don’t call it ‘Billy Ball,’ but Bulls coach Billy Donovan takes ownership of new offensive philosophy
- Where the top transfers in college basketball landed, including Coleman Hawkins and Oumar Ballo
- ‘Like that’s crazy. Who is that guy?’ Dwyane Wade’s new statue unveiled in front of Miami Heat arena.
- At 7 feet, 9 inches, Olivier Rioux is the world’s tallest teen and an intriguing basketball project
Quotable
“At the time, I had no idea who he was, little white dude guarding me.” — Zach LaVine recalling a high school game in Washington state against Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp
Got Zach LaVine’s side of the story from that high school game against Cooper Kupp.
He says Kupp picked him up full court all game: “They whooped our ass. … At the time, I had no idea who he was, little white dude guarding me.” pic.twitter.com/kCqE50kpjV
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) October 23, 2024
