"The best female collegiate player ever": 4x NBA Champ Shaq has glowing compliments for Iowa star Caitlin Clark after smashing NCAAW scoring record

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark continues to break records left and right, and a four-time NBA champion is taking notice. Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal congratulated the collegiate star on Thursday's "Inside the NBA" on TNT for smashing the all-time NCAA scoring record in women's basketball.

"I'm gonna go on the record and say she's the best female collegiate player ever," Shaq said.

Host Charles Barkley reacted to O'Neal's claim and said:

"I don't know about you, but have you heard of Cheryl Miller, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi?"

Barkley and analyst Kenny "The Jet" Smith had different opinions when it came to who was the best. According to them, Clark might be the best shooter ever in the collegiate game.

They mentioned other greats in women's college basketball, names like Cheryl Miller (USC), Maya Moore (UConn) and Diana Taurasi (UConn).

Shaq didn't hold back down and stayed firm in his stance on Caitlin Clark.

"I ain't no disrespecting nobody that's just my opinion, and I ain't gonna change it," Shaquille O'Neal told Barkley.

Check out the exchange below:

A case for Caitlin Clark as the best female collegiate player ever

Caitlin Clark has dominated NCAA women's basketball for four seasons, winning the 2023 Naismith College Player of the Year. She might have also secured the award in 2024, thanks to her unreal scoring prowess.

In 26 games in her senior year in Iowa, she is averaging an incredible 32.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.

Another unreal stat is that she's hitting 5.4 3-point field goals per game and shooting at 39.9% from deep, drawing comparisons with the NBA's 75 greatest players of all-time, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry.

In her historic game against the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night, when she broke the all-time scoring record, the 6-foot guard from West Des Moines, Iowa, scored 49 points, recorded 13 assists, made nine 3-pointers and grabbed five rebounds, setting a new career-high in points in the process.

The No. 4 Hawkeyes (23-3) beat the Wolverines (16-10) 106-89.

Although Clark has astonishing numbers individually compared to her peers, she has yet to have multiple individual awards and championships.

• Breanna Stewart (UConn) - 4x NCAA Champion, 3x Naismith Player of the Year
• Diana Taurasi (UConn) - 3x NCAA Champion, 2x Naismith Player of the Year
• Cheryl Miller (USC) - 2x NCAA Champion, 3x Naismith Player of the Year
• Maya Moore (UConn) - 2x NCAA Champion, 2x Naismith Player of the Year
• Brittney Griner (Baylor) - 1x NCAA Champion, 2x Naismith Player of the Year
• Candace Parker (Tennessee)* - 2x NCAA Champion, 1x Naismith Player of the Year (Parker decided to forgo her senior season in Tennessee to turn pro. She only played three seasons of college basketball.)

The cement is still wet, and there's still more time before it dries up. Caitlin Clark is on the verge of having the best collegiate season ever. Let's see if she can take the Iowa Hawkeyes to the national championship and finally win the big one.