Shaquille O'Neal advises Kelsey Mitchell to stop complaining and make the most of having Caitlin Clark on her team

Shaquille O’Neal has a straightforward message for Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell: instead of focusing on the drawbacks of playing alongside Caitlin Clark , she should make the most of the enormous attention surrounding her teammate.

Mitchell recently spoke candidly about the challenges that have come with being a Fever player, explaining that she and her teammates receive significant criticism simply because they share the court with Clark .

The comments came as Indiana reflected on its season, with Mitchell acknowledging that the constant spotlight can be difficult to navigate.

"Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard," said Mitchell .

O’Neal , however, believes that the attention can also create opportunities. The Basketball Hall of Famer knows what it’s like to play alongside superstar talent and deal with intense public scrutiny.

During his career, he shared the court with some of basketball’s biggest names, including Kobe Bryant , while experiencing life in both major and smaller markets.

Rather than allowing the attention to become a burden, O’Neal believes athletes should learn how to benefit from it.

Shaq believes Mitchell should embrace the spotlight

“My advice is to take advantage of all the eyes that are,” O’Neal told OutKick. “If the eyes are on one person and you’re next to that person, take advantage of them.”

The advice could be particularly relevant for Mitchell as she approaches a major point in her career. The four-time All-Star is entering free agency after producing the highest-scoring season of her career, averaging 24.7 points per game. Her future with Indiana is therefore one of the biggest questions facing the franchise.

Mitchell has spent the first nine seasons of her professional career with the Fever and has praised the organization. Still, her comments about the challenges of being Clark’s teammate sparked speculation about whether she could eventually choose to play elsewhere.

O’Neal stopped short of telling Mitchell what decision she should make, stressing that he didn’t want to speak for her. However, he made it clear that he sees considerable value in remaining close to a player capable of attracting such a massive audience.

His argument also comes with an understanding that the attention surrounding Clark isn’t always positive. Mitchell has faced online criticism and hostile comments, while Clark herself has acknowledged the darker side of the intense scrutiny surrounding the Fever.

Clark has defended Mitchell and condemned hateful rhetoric directed toward her teammate. She has also explained that she tries to limit her time on social media and block out the noise, despite having lived under an intense spotlight for years.

"As far as people that have used me to demonstrate racist rhetoric or hate or discrimination, that's not something I stand for," Clark said.

"That's never been something I've stood for. For those of you that know me, you know that's not what I'm about. It's not how I was raised, so that's really disappointing when people do that.

Whether Mitchell stays in Indiana remains uncertain, but O’Neal’s message is clear: playing alongside one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball can bring challenges, but it can also provide opportunities that shouldn’t be ignored.