Angel Reese dusted off the Finals loss to cheer for her team. And then ‘Unc’ had to rub salt into some ‘small’ wounds. When Lane Kiffin showed off his celebrity reach by bringing Shaquille O’Neal, Angel Reese, Kevin Costner, Livvy Dunne (just to name a few) to the game against Alabama, it became the Shaq & Angel show instantly.

The NBA legend just could not resist teasing fellow LSU icon and mentee during their homecoming in Baton Rouge on Saturday, November 7. While attending the LSU Tigers’ marquee college football matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium, O’Neal poked fun at the Atlanta Dream star by hitting her with her own signature “too small” celebration right to her face, a move that left Reese visibly annoyed following her recent WNBA Finals heartbreak.

The playful jab came during a star-studded gathering on the sidelines, where Shaq was captured on video busting out the small hand gesture right next to Reese. The 24-year-old WNBA forward, still processing a grueling seven-game Finals loss to the Golden State Valkyries just days prior, looked far from amused by the giant prankster’s antics. She swiped at him, and the big guy cheekily walked away.

Fans on social media quickly caught on to the exchange, with one viral clip circulating showing Reese’s unamused reaction as Shaq laughed off the moment.

Despite the brief moment of sideline tension, Shaq made sure to share the love throughout the day, posting photos and videos of their reunion to his Instagram stories. He even posted Kiffin’s star-studded pregame walk alongside the football coach, Angel, as well as the other celebrity attendees.

O’Neal and Reese were part of an elite celebrity contingent brought together by the LSU head football coach for the traditional pregame “Tiger Walk” down Victory Hill. The star-studded entrance featured Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, and Hollywood titan Kevin Costner alongside Shaq and Reese.

Too bad for Shaq and Angel, and especially Kiffin, their Tigers lost 13-31, leaving an irate purple and gold fanbase questioning the point behind Kiffin’s celebrity parade.

But at least it brought about Shaq and Angel’s overdue reunion. This Unc and niece duo met at an LSU football game in 2022, at the peak of Reese’s national stardom in the NCAA. He has taken her under his wing since, and a few months before she entered the WNBA, he signed her to Reebok.

Back then, Shaq backed her controversial celebration gesture. This time he used it for some good-natured teasing.

The extra sensitivity surrounding the “too small” gesture stems from the dramatic end to the 2026 WNBA season. During Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, Reese was riding high after delivering a 21-point, 12-rebound masterclass to lead the Atlanta to a 97–71 blowout over the Valkyries, taking a 2–1 series lead. During that victory, Reese directed her trademark “too small” taunt toward the Valkyries’ bench, specifically mocking center Aminata Gueye.

However, Golden State mounted a fierce comeback, storming back to claim the championship in seven games in just their second season as a franchise. The taunt ultimately came full circle to haunt Reese during the Valkyries’ championship parade in San Francisco on November 4. Former Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli held up a shirt featuring Reese’s “too small” gesture overlaid with the famous crying Michael Jordan meme, while Valkyries fans handed out pink pacifiers tagged with the meme and the words “if found, return to ATL.”

Having the taunt resurface in San Francisco was one thing, but having her mentor and fellow LSU legend bring it up in Baton Rouge added a fresh layer of salt to the wound.