Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal is tired of watching people attack women's basketball players online, and he is making it clear where he stands. During a recent visit to The Rich Eisen Show, O'Neal reached his limit when discussing the constant negativity directed at Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese and Washington Mystics rookie Lauren Betts.

O'Neal, who mentors both players in basketball and business, kept it completely real about how frustrating the online climate has become. He admitted that he genuinely wishes he could physically confront the people who constantly pick on Reese and Betts, but joked that his professional responsibilities keep him from doing so. For O'Neal, speaking out isn't about creating headlines; it is about standing up against a growing culture of online bullying targeted at female athletes.

The bond between O'Neal and Reese goes back to her college days at LSU, where she captured a national title. Reese has often spoken about O'Neal as a father figure, and O'Neal explained that his protective instinct kicked into high gear after seeing the massive wave of scrutiny she faced after that championship run. He pointed out that a lot of the internet hate isn't even genuine criticism, but rather content creators and talking heads trying to use controversial takes to build an audience and rack up followers.

Reese is now navigating her third season in the WNBA after moving from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream, and her star power keeps growing. She recently made waves as the first female athlete to showcase her own signature sneaker on the cover of Vogue Australia, all while landing major fashion campaigns.

Through it all, Reese has shown she can handle the noise. She sat down with Michelle Obama on the IMO podcast earlier this year and shared that she has built up thick skin, refusing to let the internet's negativity break her spirit or dictate her life.

O'Neal’s connection to these players runs deep on the business side, too. As the president of Reebok Basketball, he played a massive role in bringing Reese to the brand, which led to her launching the AR1 signature shoe line. With Betts joining the Reebok roster earlier this year, O'Neal has a close personal and professional stake in seeing both young women succeed. While he admits he is still learning how to be the best mentor possible, he made it clear that both players know they can call his cell whenever they need support.