NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has been a vocal supporter of women's basketball in recent years, with his constant alignment with one of the most popular players, Angel Reese, as he pushed to sign her for Reebok as the company's president for basketball.

This time around, Shaq has turned his attention to what happens on the court in the WNBA, arguing that one major difference still separates the WNBA from the NBA.

"I have a solution for the WNBA. In men's beach volleyball and women's beach volleyball, the net is lowered just a little bit. The only thing missing from the WNBA to the NBA game is the dunk. I'm not saying lower it to 9 feet or 8 feet… so they can dunk."

"I think if they did that, it would make the game more exciting. They got the handles, they got the shooters, they got the showmanship, they just don't have the dunk. Just imagine if you lower the rim just a little bit." O'Neal said on Revolt.

Shaq's idea is not to completely change or revolutionize the game in any way. Instead, he just wants to add another element to women's basketball, as the concept of dunks is somewhat foreign in the league.

As crazy as it sounds, one player in the WNBA accounts for over 70% of dunks. That player is Brittney Griner, who has recorded 27 slams in her career.

A select few other players, including Candace Parker, Sylvia Fowles, Jonquel Jones, Liz Cambage, and Michelle Snow, have successfully dunked during the regular season, playoffs, or All-Star events.

In total, there have been fewer than 40 dunks in WNBA history, so it makes sense why Shaq made this pitch, who otherwise believes the league already has everything else needed to entertain fans, pointing towards the skill and personality currently on display.

Shaq's latest suggestion comes after he received praise for his impact away from the court.

Shaquille O'Neal Credited for His Impact Away from the Court

Authentic Brands Group chairman Jamie Salter recently claimed Shaq 'changed the WNBA' after pushing Reebok towards women's basketball and backing Reese before she had played a WNBA game.

"He came back and said, 'I got an idea… I want to focus on women, we're going to go into women's basketball, WNBA.' And I'm telling you, Jamie, there's going to be a surge," Salter said on the Boardroom show. "You just got to trust me on this. This is three years ago — people weren't really talking about it."

Salter said O'Neal's pitch centered on a single player. "He says, 'We're going to sign this player, her name's Angel Reese.' And I'm telling you, this is going to be very, very important to Reebok's future and to the game of basketball.'"

Reese signed a multi-year contract with Reebok in 2023, months before playing a WNBA game. It was the beginning of a new era for the players, and Salter believes Shaq's role was highly important.

"I really do think Shaq changed the WNBA, because the money that was being paid to the WNBA players was kind of not fair," Salter said. "Women in sport today, three years ago, they're making substantially a lot more money. And I think Shaq has a lot to do with that."

While Shaq believes adding dunks will make the game more entertaining for all, he truly believes in the direction women's basketball is heading.

Read more at Her Sports Nation!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy