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Angel Reese could owe former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal a lot of money after losing a regretful bet. A post on her Instagram page shows Reese spontaneously challenging Shaq to make a free throw while at an event Wednesday.
The bet immediately backfired, proving potentially costly for the WNBA rookie!
Reese and Shaq were together this week, continuing a friendly relationship that stems from their LSU basketball ties. O’Neal has long been a fan, supporting the Tigers forward as she led her team to a national championship as a junior.
He even walked her out onto the floor for senior night!
He’s continued to show love after seeing her make the move into the WNBA spotlight. Shaq has been a mentor both in her athletic and business ventures, so it was no surprise seeing the duo together once again this week.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t prevent her from making a rash financial decision in this instance!
Angel Reese told Shaquille O’Neal she’d give him $100,000 if he made free-throw…
He made it! 😂💰 pic.twitter.com/N9SpOo59k7
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) October 3, 2024
Angel Reese bet Shaq $100,000 in a free throw challenge. He gladly took the deal and sank the shot!
Shaquille O’Neal was a career 53% free throw shooter in the NBA, so the odds weren’t necessarily stacked too heavily in one direction. He made this one when it counted, though!
That $100K is significant for Reese as it represents more than a year’s worth of WNBA salary.
After being drafted by the Chicago Sky, she signed a four-year, $324,383 deal. That comes out to around $80,000 a year, give or take, given the pay structure.
That said, Reese makes more than enough in brand deals and promotion to go along with her recently launched Unapologetically Angel podcast.
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The $100,000 won’t put too much of a dent in her bank account. She’s doing just fine!
Reese just wrapped up her debut season in Chicago, landing one Rookie of the Year vote for her production. Unfortunately, her performance wasn’t enough to push the Sky to the playoffs, but it seems she’s been able to stay busy in the offseason!
We’ll see if Shaq actually makes her pay up, or if he gives her a pass.