The latest game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever had all the elements of excitement. It marked the first matchup between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark since they teamed up during the WNBA All-Star break.

If this wasn’t enough to get the crowd going, Shaquille O’Neal made the night even more memorable with a rare WNBA courtside appearance.

Upon arriving at the Sky’s Wintrust Arena, Shaq was swarmed with questions from Nice Kicks Hoops. He was asked about his relationship with the franchise’s star rookie and fellow LSU alumnus, Reese.

‘The Diesel’ revealed how he viewed the 22-year-old as his daughter. He even admitted to playing typical fatherly pranks on Reese to tease her.

“She [Angel Reese] is like a daughter to me. So, I’m gonna protect her. I will call her and I will just mess with her. But it’s great. She is our daughter.”

During the brief interaction, O’Neal showcased his excitement of watching Reese play professionally for the first time. He was equally eager to see her nemesis, Clark.

“Very excited [to watch Angel Reese play]. It’s my first time watching her play as a pro and I get to see Caitlin Clark up close in person. So, looking forward to the game.“

The game lived up to the hype. The star rookies were front and center throughout the game. For instance, Reese notched her 23rd double-double and 399th rebound with 10 points and 11 rebounds on the night. This helped her surpass the WNBA legend Tina Charles’ record for the most double-doubles and rebounds by a rookie.

However, Clark stole the spotlight. She recorded a double-double with 31 points and 12 assists to lead her team to a 100-81 victory. The Iowa-born shot an impressive 8-of-14 from the field and 5-of-9 from three-point range to help the franchise edge closer to the playoffs.

Although Reese failed to win the night, her efforts and Clark’s prowess undoubtedly made it unforgettable for Shaq. His appearance was even more special because of his connection with Reebok.

Shaq aims to restore Reebok’s lost glory

Last October, Reebok named Shaq as President of their Basketball operations. One of his first major moves was to bring a new face to the brand. He instantly leveraged his connection with Reese to sign her as their ambassador for women’s basketball.

Their partnership reached a new milestone during the game against the Fever. Reese laced up in the Reebok ‘Engine A’, which marked the brand’s first-ever performance basketball sneaker since the release of ZPump Rise in October 2015.

This showcased the strength of Shaq’s bond with Reese and his confidence in her. The world had glimpsed their connection before. For example, ‘The Big Aristotle’ had called her the best LSU athlete ever in November last year. He even escorted her during the senior day ceremony at LSU’s 77-56 victory over Kentucky in March this year.