Shaquille O’Neal has been forced to address viral screenshots that allegedly show him sending deeply inappropriate messages to Sabrina Carpenter on Instagram, and he wants everyone to know it wasn’t him.
The NBA legend, 54, brought up the topic on his podcast and asked guest rapper Jim Jones to weigh in on whether the messages sounded like something he would write.
He then read one of the alleged DMs out loud: “Damn, baby. I’d keep your feet in a bottle of cologne and spray it on myself every day. Just kidding, I’m Shaq baby, what’s your name?”
In the screenshot, Carpenter, 26, allegedly responded, “I know who you are, you’re too famous to send me messages like that.”
O’Neal continued reading more messages, described as increasingly unpleasant, before dismissing the whole thing as an Internet rumor.
His rebuttal was characteristically forceful. “I have a lot more game than that,” he said, laughing.
The screenshots spread quickly on social media before O’Neal acted to debunk them.
Carpenter is currently believed to be single following her relationship with actor Barry Keoghan. O’Neal is also single and divorced his wife Shaunie in 2011 after nine years of marriage.
The former couple shares four children.
In his playing days, the 7-foot-1 center was one of the most dominant forces in NBA history, winning four championships in stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
He was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft and also played for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics before retiring.
Since then, he has built a second career as a popular and respected NBA analyst.
