“Him flirting gives disgusting…” the reactions to Shaquille O’Neal’s comments on Unapologetically Angel are likely to haunt Shaq for a long. Chances are that he would be a lot more aware and conscious of what he’s talking to a woman. A glimpse of this was seen in a video shared by the YouTube channel by the name of Atlanta Autos.

The video showed Shaq car shopping, a seemingly ordinary activity. But what caught everyone’s attention was his interaction with a woman at the counter. As Big Diesel gently held her hand, they began chatting about the cars, but let’s be honest—it was hard to miss the playful spark in his tone.

At one point, Shaquille O’Neal asked the woman her age. When she replied, “83,” he quipped, “Too young for me, sorry.” Classic Shaq humor, right? And if that wasn’t enough, he turned to the woman’s daughter, seated nearby, and joked, “Ya momma fine.” Of course, the former Los Angeles Lakers star didn’t stop there—he handed the woman a rose before leaving. Her response? A heartfelt, “This is so precious.”

Now although this was not a scenario where the 4x NBA champ would’ve likely approached the woman further. But it’s understandable why he would’ve been careful about his comments in a casual healthy flirting. The last time he was too candid about his opinion, things didn’t end up well for him in the corridors of social media. And if you’re wondering what led to this caution, let’s rewind to the controversy that erupted after his podcast with Angel Reese.

In that episode, Reese asked Shaquille O’Neal for advice. He started strong, praising her skills and potential. But then, things got awkward. The ex-Laker suggested that Reese’s appearance—particularly an outfit she wore on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out—could help her gain followers and sell merchandise. “Imagine you on the same little shorts you had on at ‘Wild ‘N Out’ dunking. You know how many T-shirts you going to sell” he said.

It didn’t stop there. As Reese blushed, clearly uncomfortable, Shaq went on to call her “gorgeous”. Sure, he might have thought he was being complimentary, but social media didn’t see it that way. One user summed up the general sentiment: “Shaq a nasty n**a… you suppose to be her mentor/father figure, but your creep a— making these type comments…”

For someone as iconic as Shaq, this was a wake-up call. Fans expect more than charm—they expect respect. This, however, was not the only instance that Shaq faced backlash from social media.

The time when Shaquille O’Neal was criticized for allegedly dating a younger woman

Just last year, Big Diesel found himself at the center of a heated social media debate. Why? A set of photos showing him on vacation in Spain with a woman alleged to be his 21-year-old girlfriend went viral. The photos, initially shared by the account My Mixtapez, quickly caught fire.

The caption read, “NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, 52, was spotted traveling with his 21-year-old girlfriend in Spain.” Within just five hours, the post garnered nearly three million views. But here’s the kicker—these photos were not even recent.

Robert Littal from Black Sports Online later revealed the truth: these pictures were from 2019. At the time, Shaq was 47, and the woman’s age and relationship with him were never confirmed. Still, before the truth emerged, social media had a field day.

Many users criticized Shaq, some even saying, “Dating someone younger than your kids is nasty work.” No wonder that even as a joke, Shaq stated he can’t date someone “too young” for him.