The rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is only growing. Both are top names to take home the Rookie of the Year award this season. Plus, the craze among fans is such that the W is shifting the games from the regular season stadiums to more seating capacity arenas so that the fans can watch them.

In the midst of such competition, a narrative has emerged that most of the W players are hating on Caitlin Clark for taking away the limelight.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley too came forward to support Clark and shun other WNBA stars. However, this did not go down well with Reese who called her “Uncle” Shaquille O’Neal questioning him why he didn’t shut down Barkley when he was making such claims and calling other WNBA stars “petty.”

Outkick’s celebrated journalist Chad Withrow divulged the chat between Shaq and Reese on Sunday while comparing the double-double queen to the NBA legend Michael Jordan. Let’s see what he had to say.

Chad Withrow compares Angel Reese to Michael Jordan

Withrow when comparing Reese to Jordan enumerated how the latter had used criticism to his advantage. He was sensitive to it but had a fire within him that would explode during games. Thus, Jordan upped his ante with his anger as per Withrow.

“Michael Jordan was really sensitive to criticism, right? He used that as a fire that burned within him. He used slights whether perceived, fake, real whatever to fuel what he was doing. Angel Reese kind of seems like the same to me. But she really took this personally when Charles Barkley went off about WNBA players not even mentioning her by name,” Withrow said, via OutKick.

Reese’s comparison with Jordan happened because notably as per Shaq, Reese had called her after Barkley had called the WNBA players “petty” for hating on Clark.

Reese was furious since Barkley didn’t even use her rival Reese’s name in the whole conversation but indirectly taunted her and the other W players on the Inside the NBA show.

via Getty

Notably, Shaq too is a host at the same show. And therefore, Reese who calls Shaq her “Uncle”, asked him to shut down Barkley.

Shaq who had said nothing to Barkley on the show revealed that he told Reese to play her game and perform better with every match.

And not concentrate on the media narrative since it is a part and parcel of the game.

Plus, before ending the conversation, Shaq also told Reese that “the ones that are real sensitive are the ones that are…that are more dominant.”

 This eulogy reminded Withrow of Jordan who had honed his craft through criticism. And hopefully, for Reese’s fans, she too will use her anger to a positive end.

And continue her on-song performances in the WNBA. On another note, what was Barkley’s comment about the W players?

Charles Barkley had taunted WNBA stars

Barkley before the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves game in late May had come forward to applaud Clark for her success.

He also used the platform to call out other WNBA players and labelling them “petty” for hating on Clark.

He also supported LeBron James expounding that “LeBron, you’re 100% right on these girls hatin’ on Caitlin Clark.”

Furthermore, Barkley took his argument a notch by stating that “Y’all should be thanking that girl for getting y’all a*s private charters,” as per People.

Notably, since this season the W officials are ready to invest $50 million over the next 2 years to arrange for private planes for the WNBA stars, something that was not the norm before.

Perhaps, it is this anger that’s driving Reese who is on her way to breaking Candace Parker’s consecutive double-double record (12)

. Plus, Reese is also the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award. Hopefully, for her fans, she will continue to perform and disrupt the market.