Shaq Happy For WNBA: 'Time To Support Women Like They Support Men'

Shaquille O'Neal is excited about the start of the 2024 WNBA season.

He's also happy that the women are getting more attention, and hopes that now that their salaries were leaked online, more fans will show up to support them to help get them more money in the near future.

While promoting his partnership with JCPenney for their new rewards program, O'Neal talked to The Blast exclusively about the recent shift in popularity of the WNBA.

"This was the first time in my career that I woke up and wanted to watch women and not really care about the men," O'Neal told The Blast exclusively.

"I saw the young ladies' salaries leaked online and people are in an uproar. It's now time for people to start supporting the women like they support the men."

According to a recent tweet by NBC News, "College basketball superstar Caitlin Clark's WNBA contract will see her pocket $338,056 over the course of four years. In contrast, last year's No. 1 NBA draft secured a $55 million four-year contract."

O'Neal was happy to see that the women's NCAA Final Four had more viewers than the men's Final Four, and wants others to "really start supporting" the women.

"It's all about the economics. We can pay our guys these crazy contracts because we generate a lot of money. So now that there's excitement behind Caitlin [Clark] and Angel [Reese], make sure you go and support them," he told The Blast.

"Buy the jerseys, buy the tickets, show up at the games. The more money that they make the more money they will be able to make. It's a great turnaround for the ladies, but now, time for the people to really start supporting."

O'Neal is reliving his epic singular three-point shot by teaming up with JCPenney to celebrate their "More, More, More Event" and show rewards members how to maximize their savings!

JCPenney just announced the launch of a new Rewards and Credit Program that offers a simpler experience with the potential to help shoppers save more. And to celebrate the new program, O'Neal wants to see if you can sink a 3-point shot into a shopping cart.

On May 4th, visit your local JCPenney between 11 am and 1 pm. Sign up for Rewards (or show your existing membership) and take O'Neal's challenge – sink a three-point shot into a shopping cart and score a mystery coupon worth $10 up to $100, while supplies last.

"The last time I made a 3-pointer was about 30 years ago. I'm super excited to still be part of JCPenney. Once again, we're gonna help people score more rewards with the JCPenney new rewards program, where customers can get more, earn more, and save more," he said. "I want to continue to give back to the fans with my relationship with JCPenney, it's been a long time."

Rewards members are invited to videotape their in-store 3-point attempt and share it on social media with #JCPRewards for a chance at being one lucky fan chosen to meet O'Neal in person.

And for the person who wins and gets to meet O'Neal, he said they will, "Just hang out, talk, eat, travel, party, take some pictures, hug some kids, and you know, just stuff that I do on a regular basis."

O'Neal shared some information about his partnership and the chance to do all the fun things with him in an Instagram post.

"Shooting three-pointers isn’t easy, I should know," he said in the video. "Earning points with JCPenney rewards, that’s as easy as 1-2-3. You get more, you earn more, you save more." 

It's easy to sign up. Just visit www.jcp.com/rewards to sign up for free. And once you're signed up, you're ready to compete in JCPenney's three-point shooting fun. 

“Head to your local store on May 4 and take your own three-point shot," he said in the video. "If you sink it, you’ll earn even more savings. And if you share your 3-pointer on social with #JCPRewards, you can win a trip to meet me. If I can do more with more, you can too.”

While chatting with O'Neal about his partnership with JCPenney, The Blast took the opportunity to also ask some other questions, because, why not? It's not every day we have O'Neal's undivided attention!

The Blast: Besides basketball, you also DJ, have a podcast, and own multiple businesses. What do you enjoy the most?

Shaquille O'Neal: "I just enjoy being able to do anything. 65% of all professional athletes, when they’re done playing, they have nothing. I will never complain because my motto in life is it could always be worse. So it may seem like I’m doing a lot but this is what I choose to do and I’m having fun doing it because I’m 52 and it may be over at 55, it may be over at 60. It could be worse. The 'worse' for a person like me is being part of that 65 percentile that has nothing, no income, nothing coming in.”

TB: Is there anything you haven't done that you would like to?

SO: "Skydive, but I’m terrified. I call myself Superman all the time so one time I would just like to fly through the clouds to see how it feels but just my luck, the parachute won’t be able to hold my weight and it will be the last time you ever see me.” 

TB: What are your predictions for the upcoming NBA playoffs and Finals?

SO: "I would like to see Denver vs. Philadelphia but there’s a lot of teams that probably like to decide different, but definitely great players in the playoffs so there’s gonna be some interesting matchups. Looking forward to the playoffs starting next week."

TB: If you could go back in your NBA career and change one thing, what would it be?

SO: "If I could go back in my college career I would bring ChatGPT with me and it would probably help me better and I probably would have had a higher GPA and I probably would have been able to attend Harvard. What would I change about my game? Nothing. I’m similar to Angel Reese and I did it my way. I wish I was a better shooter, but again, it could be worse.”

TB: What advice do you have for the next generation of basketball players?

SO: "I don’t have any advice for them. Just play hard and take care of their family. My thing was just fulfilling a dream which was making sure my mama had everything she wanted. I had a kid ask me the other day how it feels being rich. I said my definition of being rich is being able to help my hardworking mother who worked for 30 years and had nothing. Now she can buy whatever she wants."

TB: Put together a fantasy team, your starting five. You can include anyone - male, female, dead, or alive.

SO: "Michael [Jordan], Kobe [Bryant], Penny Hardaway, Magic Johnson and me. That’s my starting five." 

It was a BLAST chatting with the NBA legend, and we hope you learned something new about him. Don't forget to visit JCPenney's website to sign up for their rewards program and visit your local store on Saturday, May 4 to shoot your shot!