Venus Williams’ Forgotten Beef With Shaquille O’Neal That Went Public in an Ugly Way

There is no denying that Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest players of all time. Moreover, the 4 time NBA champion is one of the most recognizable media personalities in the world. Thanks to his association with ‘Inside the NBA’, Shaq has quickly become a fan favorite.

Although fans love his humor and pranks, sometimes his jolly nature can prove to be a problem for him. During an appearance on a radio show, Shaq made some comments on tennis star Venus Williams as a joke that caused major problems for O’Neal.

Shaquille O’Neal causes controversy with his comments

Apart from being one of the funniest panelists on ‘Inside the NBA’, Shaq is also one of the most honest. The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat legend never misses an opportunity to give his thoughts regarding an issue.

Interestingly enough, he once caused controversy when he lied on a radio program. Shaq made a special appearance on a Los Angeles radio station and he talked about how he slept with Tennis legend Venus Williams and two other women.

This wasn’t taken well by Venus. She called out Shaq’s lies, which made headlines all around the world. Moreover, this pushed O’Neal to take back his words and issue an apology.

Williams said, “I categorically and unequivocally deny that I have ever had a sexual relationship with Shaquille O’Neal. I don’t even know him. I’ve only met Shaquille once a few years ago, when attending an L.A. Lakers game. If Shaquille made the statement as a joke, it was in very bad taste, and I am definitely offended.”

After facing backlash from the media and the fans, Shaq decided to address the ugly situation. After a Lakers practice session, he said, “The guys who were with me in the studio knew that I was laughing, but I guess they didn’t take it as a joke, and I apologize. I am sorry, Venus. I am sorry.“

Although Shaq is an undeniable legend of the game, he has caused controversy multiple times in the past. His attitude was one of the biggest reasons behind his beef with Kobe Bryant, which led to his departure. After a fallout with the franchise, O’Neal joined the Miami Heat, where he won his fourth and final NBA title.

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Source: | This article originally belongs to Essentially Sports