Shaquille O’Neal recently joined Angel Reese on her podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” and their conversation turned to the complexities of dating as an athlete. Shaq, known for his candidness, shared his perspective on the stereotypes athletes face in relationships. He expressed frustration over assumptions that all athletes share similar relationship tendencies. “I hate when they put us in that category,” he said. “Not all athletes are crazy.” This sparked an honest exchange that led Reese to ask him directly: do all athletes cheat?
Shaq responded by challenging the conventional view of what constitutes “cheating.” He explained that complimenting someone doesn’t equal infidelity. “If I’m dating someone and they say I’m emotionally cheating because I complimented another woman… that’s not cheating. For example, if I said, ‘You look beautiful on that podcast,’ is that cheating? No, that’s just a compliment.” Shaq’s comment provided a refreshing take, adding nuance to the sometimes black-and-white perception of relationship boundaries.
As the discussion deepened, Shaq dissected the concept of “emotional cheating”—a term he finds puzzling. “Women often create rules as they go along. Like somebody told me about ’emotional cheating.’ I’d never heard of it… I thought it was just cheating, what is this emotional cheating?” Reese explained her understanding of it, citing situations where a man may compliment another woman to set her up with a friend. Shaq suggested that misunderstandings about emotional cheating stem from a lack of communication within the relationship. He also admitted that while he’s never felt the need to check his partner’s phone, they’ve checked his in the past.
Beyond the podcast’s relationship advice, Shaq has played a mentor role for Reese, especially during a turbulent time in her career. After Reese’s successful NCAA championship, a publicized conflict arose between her and LSU coach Kim Mulkey, with Reese missing four games. Shaq, wanting to support her, advised her to accept the situation calmly and focus on her comeback. “She reminds me of my daughter,” Shaq shared. “I called her and said, ‘Hey, part of the game, don’t respond, just take your punishment like a soldier and come back stronger.’”
LSU went undefeated during Reese’s absence, and she returned to the court by late November 2023, taking Shaq’s advice to heart. Through both dating advice and personal guidance, Shaq’s influence on Reese has been evident as she navigates the challenges of her rising basketball career.
