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LSU alum and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal voiced his doubts about first lady Jill Biden’s motivations for inviting the Iowa women’s basketball team to the White House.
Biden drew ire this month when she suggested that the Hawkeyes should also be invited to the White House along with the national champion LSU Tigers as part of the tradition of sports champions being recognized by the president for their achievements.
LSU defeated Iowa handily in the national title game thanks to a dominant performance from Angel Reese, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Caitlin Clark, who set the basketball world on fire during the tourney, put up a valiant effort, but Iowa was outmatched at the end.
Biden, who was at the game, said on the Monday after the game that she would suggest to her husband, President Joe Biden, that Iowa come to the White House, too.
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Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles the ball against the Louisiana State Tigers during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Reese responded with laughing emojis and called her suggestion “A JOKE.” She even speculated that LSU wouldn’t visit the White House at all after the comment.
As the basketball world dissected the remarks, O’Neal suggested Biden’s invitation was related to race – Reese is Black and Clark is White.
He and “The Big Podcast” co-host Nischelle Turner talked about the issue.
“Although we know she doesn’t make the decision, that caused a big uproar. What did you think about that? Because, you know, we are in this era of participation trophies,” Turner said.
O’Neal replied, “No, but that’s not what it was about. That’s not what it was about. I want people to use their imaginations. You know what it was about. I’m not going to mention it. You know what it was about, right?”
Turner said “we can say it” and added the matter became a “race issue.”
First lady Jill Biden talks with guests while watching the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. (Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
“It became a team of all Black girls beating a team of all White girls. That’s what it became,” she said.
O’Neal explained his point further.
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“So, in the history of me going to the White House and all the champions going to the White House, we never even mentioned the second team, right?” he said. “But the fact that it was that versus that, and the other [team] that lost, that’s when they wanted to make it a participation: ‘Oh, they lost, but they were there and all that.'”
O’Neal and co-host Spice Adams agreed that if Iowa had won then LSU wouldn’t have even been a thought on Biden’s mind.
Shaquille O’Neal attends Shaq’s Fun House Big Game Weekend at Talking Stick Resort on February 10, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“Everybody counted their chickens before they hatched,” O’Neal said. “Let me just explain why. Iowa’s championship game wasn’t that game; Iowa’s championship game was when they beat South Carolina.”
“The almighty Black girl team is undefeated, who was going to beat them, and they beat them. So, when they beat them, they got happy, and then when LSU came along, they thought they was going to, you know, run us over. But we had way too many dogs.”
O’Neal also declared Reese the best athlete to come out of LSU sports.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, tweeted that the first lady meant no disrespect to the Tigers.
“Her comments in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes,” she wrote. “She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
Despite all the controversy, Reese said she would join her team on a White House visit.
Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers speaks during a press conference after the LSU Lady Tigers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
“In the beginning we were hurt – it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Reese said Friday, per ESPN. “You don’t get that experience [to go to the White House] ever … and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team, and we’ve decided we’re going to go.”
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“I’m a team player. I’m going to do what’s best for the team … I’m the captain.”
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