Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has dismissed viral claims that he sent flirtatious messages to pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
Screenshots circulating on social media earlier this month appeared to show an exchange of explicit messages between the two, sparking widespread speculation online.
However, speaking on his show The Big Podcast, Shaquille O’Neal firmly denied the claims, insisting the messages were fabricated.
“First of all, ladies, the Diesel got way more game than that,” he said, referencing his nickname Big Diesel.
He went on to read parts of the alleged messages aloud humorously, mocking their content and suggesting they were not genuine.
O’Neal also blamed the situation on the culture of chasing virality on social media, arguing that people are increasingly focused on creating sensational content for attention.
His guest, rapper Jim Jones, supported his view, describing social media as a “dangerous place” where people invest time in creating misleading narratives.
O’Neal added that such incidents are often driven by younger users trying to game the algorithm and go viral.
Carpenter, known for her hit “Manchild,” has not publicly responded to the circulating claims.
