After becoming the center of a viral controversy,Shaquille O'Nealhas finallyaddressed rumorsthat he sent "creepy" andexplicit messagesto pop sensationSabrina Carpenter.
Earlier this month, aleaked screenshotaccused the NBA legend of sending a series of graphic and bizarreInstagram DMsto Carpenter from hisverified account.
As the speculation snowballed into a full-blown online controversy, Shaq moved toset the record straight, explaining how hisfameandpublic personamay have contributed to the alleged incident.
Shaquille O'Neal has finally shared his side of the story, addressing allegations that he sent "creepy" messages to Sabrina Carpenter
Image credits:Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
For those unfamiliar, Shaquille O'Neal, widely known as Shaq, is a retired American professional basketball player, considered one of the greatest and most dominant centers in NBA history.
Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, he used his massive frame and athleticism to lead teams to four NBA championships during his impressive 19-year career.
O'Neal played for six teams, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat, before retiring in 2011.
Image credits:Joseph Okpako/Getty Images
Since stepping away from the sport, Shaq has become a prominent media personality and businessman, currently serving as an on-air analyst for Inside the NBA onTNT.
Beyond basketball, O'Neal has released platinum-selling rap albums, appeared in several films, and is also known as DJ Diesel in the music industry.
The NBA legend's response to the controversy sparked a heated debate online, with many questioning his intentions
Image credits:The Big Podcast with Shaq
Recently,claims surfacedalleging that Shaq slid into Sabrina Carpenter's Instagram DMs and sent multiple inappropriate messages, after a screenshot of the alleged exchange began circulating online.
During the March 20 episode of his podcastThe Big Podcast with Shaq, O'Neal addressed the viral rumors head-on, joined by guest Jim Jones and co-host Bailey Jackson.
Shaq told Jones, "I want you to tell me if this is me or not me," before reading some of the alleged lines from the so-called "unhinged" messages aloud.
Image credits:sabrinacarpenter
One such text reportedly read, "Da*n, baby. I would keep your farts in a cologne bottle and spray it on me every day. Just jokes, I'm Shaq baby, what's your name?"
According to the circulating screenshots, the Espresso hitmaker allegedly responded, "I know who you are, you'reway too famousto be sending me messages like that."
The alleged message from O'Neal continued, "I can't be h**ny and want some of that snow bunny kitty for no reason. You can't handle Big Diesel anyway. My meat would have you in the hospital."
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Image credits:The Big Podcast with Shaq
Firmly denying ever sending such messages, Shaq said on the podcast, "First of all, ladies, the Diesel got way more game than that."
Bailey agreed, saying, "I definitely do not believe that is you… It has your picture photoshopped in there. Social media is adangerous game."
"I probably wouldn't have believed it until he brought it up, now he's making me question it," one skeptical netizen expressed
Image credits:hugeballsports
To this, rapper Jim added, "Is this you supposed to be DMing her? It's wild because the computer can do anything."
While Shaq attempted to dispel the rumors firsthand, his response sparked a heated debate online, with the majority supporting him, while others continued toquestion his intentions.
One critic argued, "AI is amazing, you can blame it for anything."
Image credits:bigchickenshaq
Another wrote, "I probably wouldn't have believed it until he brought it up, now he's making me question it."
"He'sso unhinged… Man shaq a f**king weirdo! This was clearly him that sent this and this is now his mastermind reverse psychology plan to save face,' commented a third user.
"They would've beenexposedif social media was around during their time," read one comment online.
Allegedly, Sabrina replied to Shaquille's message, writing, "You're way too famous to be sending me messages like that"
Image credits:The Big Podcast with Shaq
"Seems like hes just mad she aint responded to his dm's," said another skeptical netizen.
Meanwhile, one supporter firmly stated, "I don't know about anyone else, but those supposed 'DMs' sound fake as hell."
Another added, "I don't believe for a second that Shaq sent any of those messages."
"More sh*t would be out of it was true. He putting this out there cuz yall believe everything on the internet and he thinks it's funny."
While the Grammy-winning singer has yet to address the controversy, O'Neal attributed thealleged messagesto "youngsters" attempting to manipulate social media "algorithms to go viral."
Prior to making headlines over the alleged Instagram DMs, Carpenter performed a massive headline set at Lollapalooza Brasil in São Paulo last week.
She played to an estimated audience of over 125,000 people at the Autódromo de Interlagos, a moment many fans called one of the most iconic of her career, further cementing her status as a global star.
"This is wild people really out here creating the most unhinged fake messages just to ruin someone's image," wrote one fan
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