Shaquille O’Neal Sends Strong Message to Caitlin Clark Amid ‘Jealously’ Claims

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 20: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts to an injury during the second quarter in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 20, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) Getty

Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has advised Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark to fight back physically when her opponents try to bully her.

Clark has been on the receiving end of hard fouls and physical defense all season. On Sunday, for example, Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington blatantly bumped into her right after the Fever star drained one of her career-high eight 3-pointers.

Shaq has urged Clark to stand up for herself.

“There’s girls that are going, ‘You don’t talk about me like that, you talk about her.’ You gotta take advantage of that opportunity,” Shaq told Fox News Digital.

“You have to go at who they think the best is. If you got other people coming at her, then it is what it is. Once she gets through this next year and keeps playing the way she’s playing, they’ll have no choice but to love and accept it.”

Caitlin Clark Unfairly Targeted?

O’Neal believes that a lot of Clark has been subjected to extra physicality due to the media attention she receives.

“But this is what we call rites of passage,” said the four-time NBA champion.

“We don’t just let youngsters come in and take over because they’re getting all the props from the media.”

During Sunday’s game, tensions between Clark and DiJonai Carrington rose in the second quarter when the latter accused the Fever star of flopping. In the very next possession, Clark created some separation with her trademark stepback three, leading to some words being exchanged between the two players.

Caitlin Clark vs DiJonai Carrington

Issues between Clark and Carrington date back to a game in 2024 when the latter poked the then Fever rookie in the eye. Most recently, Carrington was ejected after a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham, Clark’s teammate, during a game on August 8. After the incident, Carrington wrote “WHITE PRIVILGE” on X, adding another layer to the feud.

In  fact, Carrington had Sunday’s game circled with a post captioned 8/23.

“This was a reference to the Fever and the Sky facing off again on August 23, and seemed to be Carrington’s way of warning the league that she was going to get revenge in one form or another,” wrote SI Women’s Fastbreak’s Grant Young.

“That August 23 game took place last night. The Fever won the game by 23 points, and Caitlin Clark (whom Carrington was guarding for much of the game) made eight three-pointers in the win.

“Therefore, Carrington’s “8/23″ post backfired in a brutal and somewhat hilarious fashion, especially given the history between Carrington and Clark.”

Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Shaquille O’Neal Sends Strong Message to Caitlin Clark Amid ‘Jealously’ Claims appeared first on HEAVY.