Young hoopers competed in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies’ Classic on Saturday with very special guests in attendance, for a very special reason. The family of Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, was present at Area High School in Greenville, Tennessee on December 28. Before the young ladies took the court, the family announced the recipients of the Naismith Good Sportsmanship Award of the Year. Shaquille O’Neal, for being the big-hearted teddy bear he is, is the deserved honoree. What’s interesting is that he shares the award with Caitlin Clark, someone Shaq very reluctantly admitted is the next big thing in basketball. That might not sit well with Angel Reese.
The honor, which was presented by Greeneville-based company N.E.M Sports, is the only award designed and handed out by the Naismith family themselves. Jim Naismith, the grandson of Dr. James Naismith, and his own daughters and grandsons were present to announce the award. The family collectively voted for Shaq and CC to receive the award.
One of Jim’s daughters told the school gym of spectators that O’Neal won the award for his charity, especially through his eponymous foundation, working with the Boys and Girls Club, and for “creating pathways for underserved youth.” For his entire legacy, the Naismith family called him “one of the best big men in the NBA.” Shaq’s camp is yet to respond to the honor.
The honor comes less than a month after the big man himself revealed during a Shaq-A-Claus event that his $16 million youth facility in Las Vegas will hopefully be completed in two years. He also received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award.
When Charles Barkley was criticizing the WNBA’s handling of Clark during the 2024 playoffs, Shaq was quiet. He later revealed that his ‘niece’ Angel Reese was mad at him about it. “She jumped on me, ‘Why don’t you say something to Charles [Barkley]?’” he said on The Big Podcast and proceeded to throw Chuck under the bus. And there were times Shaq made the rivalry between Clark and Reese more awkward.
Shaquille O’Neal came to terms with Caitlin Clark’s stardom
Most recipients of the Naismith Good Sportsmanship Award have had extensive careers, are in the Hall of Fame, and are pretty well established. Caitlin Clark has earned it after two thrilling NCAA seasons and one outstanding WNBA rookie season. The Naismith family said, “Caitlin Clark has been the singular force who has grown the women’s game in ways no college player ever has before and has transitioned that into the WNBA.”
While accurate, a part of the credit goes to Angel Reese too, whose rivalry with Clark from the NCAA to the WNBA made women’s basketball more exciting than ever before. Shaq has been on the LSU star’s side from the start. But after witnessing Clark in action at his first live WNBA game in 2024, Shaquille O’Neal admitted she’s got game. He confessed he was scared of picking Clark over Reese because of his loyalty to his Reebok signee.
Shaq’s reached a point where he can go on Unapologetically Angel and tell Reese in person, “She’s [Clark] doing stuff we never seen before…I was a hater because you know I’m down with you. She not gonna hit that shot then bam…like if i say 10 times you not gonna hit the shot and you hit the shot that means you the truth.”
Fun Fact: Shaq was the runner-up for the Naismith National Player of the Year award in 1990-91. Clark won the 2024 Naismith Player of the Year award. Both went on to win RoTY in their respective leagues. So this would be the first Naismith honor they share. Doesn’t seem like Shaq would mind.
